


Waste a Moment

by AchillesLament (11Mydesign11), Destinyawakened, Identically_Different



Category: Charlie Countryman (2013), Evening (2007), Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Extended Universe - Fandom
Genre: Angst, EatTheRare, M/M, Nigel lives post Charlie Countryman movie, Romantic love, Smut, dogdogs, hannibal season 3 divergent, hannigram AU, recovery buddies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-23
Updated: 2018-01-20
Packaged: 2019-01-04 14:52:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 37,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12171078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/11Mydesign11/pseuds/AchillesLament, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destinyawakened/pseuds/Destinyawakened, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Identically_Different/pseuds/Identically_Different
Summary: Nigel wakes in the United States in a hospital bed. The FBI want answers for a few things, but Nigel's more interested in the guy down the hall with a smile carved into his belly.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Follow us and help promote this fic if you're enjoying it so far! [On Tumblr!](http://identically-different.tumblr.com)  
> All medical-related things are half looked up and half guessing, we did our best, if it's awful please feel free to drop a line on Tumblr!  
> For this fic we also switched roles around. Nigel is written by Destinyawakened this time and Will is written by 11MyDesign11.

 

The realization that Gabi would never look at him that way again, the way she was looking at motherfucking Charlie, sent Nigel into a spiral of emotions he couldn’t account for in the few seconds of what he thought was the rest of his life and the end of it. She didn’t love him, she maybe never had, and that alone, crippled him in knowing he’d never hold, never kiss her, never make love to her again. The thought was agonizing, and as the police sirens wailed in a distance, gaining ground on them, Nigel gave Gabi the last look he could ever manage with complete understanding. That was it.

Police piled out of cars and Nigel let the first thing come to mind, to pretend to have a gun and aim it at an officer who wasted no time in a pulling the trigger.

Nigel felt nothing, no pain, just… darkness.

***

“You are very lucky,” the doctor said, his voice muffled as Nigel’s eyes opened, very slowly. “Just rest your eyes, you’ve been in a coma for weeks. You’re in the United States for recovery.”

“The… fuck…” Nigel groaned, a half whisper mostly.

“The bullet missed all vital parts of your brain, went clean right through, surgery was easy. You’ll be out and about in no time,” the doctor said, writing down Nigel’s vitals from the machines whirling around him.

***

Days passed quickly, in and out he went, the pain medications making him mostly a haze, and then one day they dropped them down. Then the next a little more, and his body seemed to be more aware, awake. The catheter came out and Nigel was allowed to move about on his own free will, though cuffed to an IV pole until they could clear him for good, if they ever did.

In sweatpants, Nigel walked the halls with a pretty nurse at his side, and he was almost willing to make some remark about her staring at his ass with the gown open in back, but even that felt weird these days. She did keep close, but also kept her distance unless it looked like he needed the help. Which, fuck that, he could do this on his own.

They walked, a good corridor or two when he shuffled passed a room with a blue doe eyed man in it, looking a bit lost, but Nigel filed that away for later. Not important, he didn’t busy himself without people.

***

Two days later, and more secure that he wasn’t going to hurt anyone, Nigel was allowed to free roam, still on a few heavy painkillers, he tugged the damn IV pole along with him, once again passing the same room, same guy inside. This time, Nigel let his curiosity get the better of him, Hell, this place was boring as fuck.

“What’re you in for?” he asked, shoulder to the door, trying to look as cool and casual as he could manage, but hospital gown, sweatpants, and head bandage hardly screamed out fashionable let alone cool.

Will looked up, shaken from his thoughts and looked at the stranger. "The...jury, is still deliberating that," he answered quietly, a bite in his tone as he exhaled and looked away, lightly touching the bandage over his belly. "Knife wound."

Nigel raised a barely there brow, half hidden under the bandages. “Little more serious than just a wound, isn’t it?”

“A smile,” Will answered, looking back towards Nigel. “And yours?”

Cheeky, Nigel thought, and touched the bandage on his head. “A last gift to my wife.” He lifted the gauze a little, having not looked at it himself yet. “Shot in the head, apparently.”

“A gift delivered with love,” Will said, the words making him ponder the one he'd received, the rare gift he'd supposedly not wanted. “You're fortunate. I suppose we both are.”

“Fortunate?” Nigel asked, taking a step in, still a little unsteady on his feet, head swimming a little, vision not what it used ot be.

“That's what they keep telling me,” Will said, cutting his eyes at Nigel, not letting him in though his well crafted forts. While he didn't want feel him with his gift, some trickled through anyways, thanks to the medication.

Nigel was a brick wall, but he was a man who wore his heart on his sleeve when it was necessary, which wasn’t often, and never would be again, not after Gabi. “Maybe you are. I meant to die. It was the whole point of tricking the cops into thinking I had a gun. Yeah, so lucky me, so fortunate.”

“And what's stopping you now?” Will asked, stoic with his words, like a calm day out on the open waters.

“Lots of nurses and doctors who keep me far, far away from anything I can hurt myself with,” Nigel said, well aware he was being watched even now. “Not that I’d want to. Lot of time to myself to think after all this, and that bitch wasn’t worth it.”

Will nodded, thinking that over as he gestured to the chair, if the man wanted to sit down. “All we have now, in here, is time.”

“Mostly, yeah,” Nigel said, taking a seat closer to the other patient, and relaxed back, legs splayed. “Got gutted huh? You are lucky.”

“Said he knew just how to do it,” Will said, wetting his lips and smirking slightly. “Luck has little to do with it.”

“Whose knife were on the wrong side of, darling?” Nigel asked, finding the other man’s dry sense of humor a nice change from the nothing he got from nurses.

“Hannibal Lecter,” Will answered, two words with so much significance but likely just a name to this man. “And you can call me Will.”

The name was familiar but Nigel couldn’t put his finger on it, not at the moment. He offered his hand not tied up with an IV. “Nigel.”

Will looked at it and then extended his own, slowly, shaking it in turn. “Nigel,” he echoed and then let go.

“That’s… what I said,” Nigel said with a nod of his head, which only sent a wave of nausea through him, but he managed to close his eyes a second to regain composure.

“I can call a nurse, if you need one,” Will offered, assessing Nigel visually. He didn't show it but he was intrigued by him and for once, not minding the company, so far.

“Fuck no, all they do is coddle and ease up on the drugs,” Nigel said with a little smirk, eyes a little clouded for a second as he looked at Will.

Will smiled, faintly at that but as quick as it was there, it was gone. “They do tend to suffocate,” he mumbled, some annoyance in his tone before glancing at Nigel.

“I’ve got a constant pounding headache,” Nigel sighed, but it was starting to ease a little more as he pressed the button on the IV. “I can’t imagine you feel much better.”

“I'll be fine,” Will said, refusing to press his button. He didn't want his senses dulled more than they were. “I'm becoming used to it these stays.”

Nigel had a high tolerance for drugs, and he wasn’t afraid to show that. He also had a high pain tolerance, but this one in his head was unshakeable. Besides, this place was boring, and he had nothing to keep himself occupied. Well, not until now. “Let me guess, you like your control, but you don’t mind a glass of whiskey now and then?” Will looked the part.

Will raised a brow at that, learning about Nigel just from that. “That about sums it up,” he said and then ran his tongue over his teeth. “You keep control, except with...love.”

Nigel knew what anyone would drink just by watching them a bit. That’s as far as his talent laid, as far as he was concerned. “Fucking love, right? We all have a weakness. Mine’s… love.”

“Not terribly bad, as far as weaknesses go,” Will offered, though he knew it went beyond that for Nigel. He rubbed his chin and adjusted his bed just a bit to sit him up. “Really depends on what you do about it.”

“About love? Well, you might call me obsessive,” Nigel said with a shrug, leaning back in the chair, hands clasped together on his stomach. “I can’t help it. I’m a very committed guy, Will.”

“Nothing wrong with commitment,” Will said, though he got the jist of what Nigel meant. He leaned over, carefully, to get a sip of water. “You hold too tight because you're afraid they'll let go…”

Nigel leaned, instinctively, to help Will with the straw in the water. “Yeah. And they do. Got nothing to do with me though.” Though, he was starting to feel otherwise these days.

Will let Nigel help him, and drank, a few sips before removing his lips from the straw. “Thanks,” he said, and then looked over again at the man. “What makes them let go?”

“My… line of work,” Nigel answered, setting the glass down. “I’m not a nice man, or as nice as people want me to be. I don’t do nice things.”

“Courtesy can be...overrated,” Will said, inwardly scoffing as he thought of Hannibal and his obsession with that very thing. Nigel was refreshing in that aspect. “What do you do?”

“I deal drugs,” Nigel said, matter of fact, no pussy footing around it. “Mostly.”

Well, Nigel wasn't a cannibal, Will mused to himself, though that ‘ _mostly’_ meant blood, he could almost see it, if he'd allow himself to. “Not the worst thing you could do.”

“I make a living. I own a few clubs back home,” Nigel explained, his accent a little thicker as the drugs kicked in a big more. He cracked his neck. “Bars, dancing… that sort of thing. Makes money.”

“We all do what must to...survive,” Will said, leaning back against the pillows as he stared at the ceiling. “Where’s home?”

“Romania,” Nigel said, aching for a cigarette about now.

“Long ways from home,” Will commented, and gestured to the water pitcher. “Feel free, if you're thirsty.”

“Nah, need a cigarette more than anything,” Nigel sighed. “I was brought here against my will, not sure why. No one wants to say yet.”

“I’ll see if I can convince them to let you out for a cigarette,” Will offered, knowing some of the staff. “They are likely investigating you. Listening, even now.”

Nigel laughed, a bark really. “I ain’t hiding nothing they don’t already know.”

Will grinned at that, giving Nigel a look before taking another sip of water. “Good.”

“No use hiding. I think they’re keeping me to see if I drop dead,” Nigel said, removing the bandage around his head. “Right through the middle. Who survives that?”

“People like us,” Will said and then mirrored Nigel, raising his bandage to show his wound. “Though yours is a little bit more impressive.”

“I’m lucky there’s no brain damage, you’re lucky there’s no… well you’re luck you can eat all,” Nigel chuckled, shaking his head.

Will chuckled, and raised up a bit again, taking the call button in his hands. “I’d say you deserve that cigarette, all things considered,” he said and prepared to press it. “I'll handle this.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Nigel said, honestly. “I’ll just end up with nurse Pratchett watching me smoke and making details about it on her chart like she does my shits.”

Will put the call button back down and nodded, laughing at Nigel once again. It was rare, for him to do that so much. “They are…thorough.”

“I’m lucky they let me in here,” Nigel said, deciding he liked when Will smiled, a lot. “She’s always steering me clear of the room. They gave me free reign today.”

Casting his eyes over to Nigel, Will nodded, more grateful than he was letting on. “We’re both fortunate.”

“Are you?” Nigel asked, cocking his head to the side curiously. Will was a hard read, steeled up walls and all, which wasn’t hard to see. Nigel might have to do some digging later to see what the other man was all about.

“Maybe,” Will said, a bit of playful sass to his tone as he arched a brow and then looked straight ahead again. “I spose time will tell.”

Nigel grinned, feeling just so relaxed now, lounging in the chair by Will’s bedside. “I hope it doesn’t change.”

Will still wasn't sure but Nigel’s presence didn't bother him, and his lack of bullshit was a plus. “What prompted you to come in here? Or did I look that lonely?” he said, a bit humorously.

“Maybe I was lonely,” Nigel offered, shrugging his large shoulders. “Saw you once, the other day.”

 _Lonely_ , the word certainly struck a resonating chord. For all Will’s forts and pushing away, he was in fact lonely, though his dogs were more than enough company. “Did you?”

“Yeah, you were just kinda laying there like today, staring at the ceiling,” Nigel murmured, explaining a bit, remembering how it had made him feel a little less lonely, honestly.

“I was admiring the ceiling tiles,” Will joked and angled a look at Nigel, a stray curl falling into his eyes. He reached out, still parched and took another sip with a quiet grunt. He felt less lonely too.

Nigel smiled whimsically at that, shaking his head just a little, not to upset the delicate balance he was working with. “Nicer than any I’ve seen in Romania hospitals.”

“Have you seen many?” Will asked, curious about Nigel, his history, as he relaxed as well. He set down the water once more, palms resting gently over his bandage.

“A few. I mostly just patch myself up,” Nigel said, shrugging. “No use getting hospitals involved.”

“Not one for too much attention,” Will mused, and pulled his lower lip through his teeth. “I'm not either.”

“Yet here you are. You got someone's attention,” Nigel said, nodding toward Will's wound.

“Sometimes... _sacrifices_ are needed,” Will said, looking pointedly at Nigel’s head wound and then to his eyes. They'd both _allowed_ themselves an end go where they were currently at.

“Yeah, they are.” Nigel shifted in his seat, head back, long silvery hair draping out behind him. “You happy with your sacrifice?”

“I'll let you know, when I decide,” Will said, on an exhale as he contemplated all that had lead him to that point. His mind drifted then, to another world that could have been.

Nigel chuckled darkly, swallowing once, Adam's apple bobbing as he did. “Too soon to say? Fuck, I might be with you.”

Will scrubbed his hand over his face and looked back to Nigel, out of his other world for now. “Maybe we’ll both have it figured out, by the time we are free from the confines of this hospital.”

“Speak for yourself,” Nigel sighed, and looked at Will. “Not sure they'll let me go anytime soon.”

“We’ll keep each other company for now,” Will offered, carefully, raising his brows at Nigel. “Help stave off the madness of being here.”

“Yeah, for now,” Nigel said, mulling it over. He was starting to see people just didn't stick around.

Will had no plans of being one of those people, not if he decided to let Nigel in, but he hardly knew him yet. He nodded and stretched, carefully. “Yeah.”

“How much longer they keeping you?” Nigel asked, actually unable to remember if he asked that, his mind was a little numb when It came down to it. He wasn't so sure if that was the drugs or side effects of brain trauma.

“Probably at least a week,” Will answered, looking thoughtfully over at Nigel. He wasn't entirely sure but he hoped he'd be out soon. “I'll be glad to get back to my dogs. I miss them.”

Nigel perked up at that. “You got dogs?”

Will perked up too, and smiled, warmly. “I have seven,” he said, proudly. “You like dogs?”

“Yeah. Love dogs. Don’t have any, but I’ve always loved them,” Nigel answered, more interested than ever in Will now.

Unexpected, but...appealing, Will thought and continued to smile. “I've been told I collect strays, but they’re my family. Easier to talk to than people.”

Nigel ran his unoccupied hand through his hair, slouching a little more in the chair, relaxed. “Most people are dumb anyway. Idiots, morons. Dogs at least are loyal, yeah?”

“Precisely,” Will said, nodding as he sighed, happily. He might have worded it a little differently but it seemed like they were on the same page. “Dogs don't have an ulterior motive. They offer companionship without expectation.”

“Well, I mean, I wouldn’t know, but I can imagine,” Nigel agreed.

Will hummed, deeply just as a staff member brought in the food tray.

“I only brought one, but if you're eating in here,” he said, looking at Nigel and then Will, who he smiled at. “Then I can bring yours too?”

“Yeah, do that,” Nigel told the staff member, eyes never leaving Will’s. “ _Please_.”

The young man nodded and brought both trays, setting the on the bedside table, leaving just after as Will held that eye contact, feeling a charge in it. He swallowed, dismissing it for the moment and then gestured towards the food as he removed the lids. _No lamb for dinner_ , he thought and looked at the dish. “I think this is meatloaf.”

Nigel laughed, waving the staff out, and then looked over at the extra tray of food left there. His looked a bit different, meatier. He looked over at Will’s. “You sure that’s meat?”

Will pulled the table over closer and looked, scratching his beard with a quiet chuckle. “I'm not sure actually, maybe not,” he said and looked at the slip. “No meat.”

“The fuck? Tofu? Or whatever the fuck that shit is they say is good for you?” Nigel laughed, a deep barking sound, rich like the color of his eyes. “Special diet for Will.”

Sighing, Will shook his head and then unwrapped the silverware, poking at the loaf of...whatever it was. “Yours doesn't look much better,” he pointed out with a playful smirk and cut into it, taking a careful bite. “It's...food, at least.”

“Hospital food is the worst,” Nigel laughed again, and cut into the loaf and tried it. “Well, it’s remnants of beef, anyway.”

Snickering at that, Will swallowed some of the tea provided, after removing the plastic lid, to wash it down. “Sounds delicious,” he said, sarcastically and gave Nigel a teasing look before he took another bite of his. “Least there’s sugar free jello.”

“That’s exciting to you?” Nigel laughed, eating what he was given because he knew he needed the calories to recover, he was a long ways off from being out of here-- not that he could leave anyway.

“Oh yes, very,,” Will joked, rolling his eyes and then took another big bite to finish it sooner. He ate a bit of the vegetables provided, not minding those at least. “What room are you in?”

“I’m down the hall that’s guarded,” Nigel teased, “Room 235.” He stuffed the meatloaf in his mouth, grimacing, but honestly, he’d had much worse.

Will couldn't decide what was worse, this or the food during his lockup. Either way he ate, and nodded at Nigel. “Maybe I'll come to your place for dinner tomorrow,” he laughed, finding the gruff Romanian's humor infectious.

“I can’t say it’s any better,” Nigel laughed, shaking his head. He pushed the meat to the side and opened the jello offered and tried that instead. “But you’re welcome to cross the borders.”

“I'll see if I can sneak across,” Will said, and then opened his jello too, taking a bit to get the taste of, whatever the loaf was, out of his mouth.

“I’ll see about getting one of my people to bring in some real meat maybe?” Nigel teased, knowing full well he didn’t know anyone here, but he had charisma and that usually got him pretty far.

“Your people?” Will asked with a raised brow, though he knew what he meant. He grinned once more and waved his hand. “Maybe when I'm cleared. A steak would be good though.”

“I’ll get you a steak,” Nigel said, teasing, his amber eyes gleaming at Will.

“Maybe I can smuggle you out for a cigarette,” Will offered, feeling his face heat up. He looked back at his jello, taking another bite.

“I’d enjoy that. We’ll make it date. I’ll bring the beef, you bring the nicotine,” Nigel said, with a sharp toothed grin.

“Add some whiskey and it'll be perfect,” Will teased, though he intended on getting Nigel that smoke break somehow, even if he didn't require it himself.

“Steak and whiskey? I like you,” Nigel said, finishing what he liked of his meal and leaving the rest. “See what can be bought.”

“I'm a simple man,” Will offered, and then finished off his tea, putting the lids back on the trays before leaning back with a barely audible grunt.

Nigel took Will’s tray and set it with his own by the door, shuffling around, a little less nauseated from the medication after eating. He sat back down, surprised they hadn’t made him leave yet. “Simple is good. Simple is _easy_.”

“As long as I have my dogs, and the quiet of the stream to fish in,” Will said, wistfully as he canted his head over at Nigel, giving him a nod of thanks for moving his tray. He imagined they'd both been lacking simplicity in their lives, albeit in different ways.

“Far more simple than my life,” Nigel sighed, sitting back. “Well, it’s simple now. I’m here.”

But there was far more Will wasn't saying. Things weren't or hadn't been so simple; he'd keep that to himself. It was done now, wasn't it? “True enough.”

Nigel canted his head toward Will with a passive glare. “Yeah…” he wouldn't push, it wasn't his place to push. Well, not yet.

“Simple now, doesn't mean it'll stay that way,” Will added at that, genuinely enjoying Nigel’s company. “But it's a nice reprieve.”

“Oh, my simplicity is not going to stay this way. We both know that. Once I’m better? Pretty sure the FBI is going to have some fun talking to me,” Nigel said, a little bit more about how wanted he must be back home slipping through, but he wasn’t one to hide.

“They will,” Will agreed, knowing that all too well and from both sides of the coin. He took a breath, finding peace in it briefly and was about to say something else when a nurse came in.

“Mister Ursu, I hate to interrupt,” she said, clearly acquainted with his disposition, “but you and Mister Graham need your rest. I'll escort you back to your room.”

Nigel rolled his eyes and got to his feet, pole rolling along with him. “I got it,” he said to the nurse, and nodded toward Will. “Get some rest, gorgeous, hm?”

Will nearly reprimanded him for the pet name but smiled instead and nodded as the nurse walked out to wait for him anyways. “You too, Nigel.”

The nurse tried to help Nigel with his pole and he waved her off. “I’ve got it, sweetheart. Hands to yourself.”

Sighing, she gave up, as Will watched and chuckled to himself, rubbing his hand over his face.

“You really should let someone know when you leave your room, sir,” she said, tone friendly as not to poke the bear.

“I told the nurse,” Nigel said, pretty sure he had anyway, but that was all a little fuzzy now. “Look, you gave me free reign today, I took advantage.”

“I just came on, I'll check the notes,” she said, apologetically though she wasn't sure if he was being honest. She'd been warned about him and Mister Graham. The nurse continued walking with him down the hall until reaching his room. Once he was inside, she began to asses him. “I need to change your bandage, if you would get into bed, please or I can help you.”

“I _got_ this,” Nigel insisted, plopping down on to the bed. “It’s a head injury, nothing wrong with the rest of me.” He settled in and sighed, waiting for her to get to work. “What the fuck is that shit you're feeding Will anyway? Looks like meat but isn’t meat. Pretty fucking fucked up if you ask me.”

The nurse began working on cleaning the site first, disposing of the used items and sighed, trying to remain friendly despite Nigel’s disposition. “I'm not in charge of his meals, sir, but it's likely made from tofu and other essential nutrients. He can't have meat, not until he's much better.”

“That’s some fucking shit,” Nigel commented, sighing as he sat back and let the nurse work.

“Sir,” she began, becoming exasperated with him and then took a breath, applying a fresh bandage. “There. Now I need you to tell me the truth, have you been toying with the bandage? The wound looks aggravated.”

“Toying with it? I showed Will, but that’s it,” Nigel explained, feeling scolded. “Look, sweetheart, I’ve been fixing myself up for decades. This is fine.”

The nurse checked and made sure it was secure and then moved back. “I have to ask,” she explained and then made a note in the chart. “Do you need anything else for pain before I go?”

“Whatever is in the IV is working pretty well,” Nigel said, looking at the bag that was nearing empty. “Maybe you want to reup that though.”

She raised a brow and then nodded, almost giving him a speech about it but didn't. He was cleared for more anyways, for the time being. “I'll be back in a few to change it out. Try to rest in the meantime.”

“What else have I go to do?” Nigel sighed, laying back as his head started to pound and ache.

She left and after a few minutes returned and set up the new bag of morphine, handing him the blue button for it and the call button. “I spoke with Mister Graham and he said he wanted to go outside with you for a breath of fresh air. He’ll be in his wheelchair, in his room. Since he vouched for you, and he seems to enjoy your company, I'll allow it. But in about an hour, after you both rest.”

“Sure thing,” Nigel said, not wanting to risk ruining a chance to actually see the sun and breathe fresh air once more. “Thanks.”

“You're welcome,” the nurse nodded with a smile, looked at the machines quickly, and then left, leaving Nigel so she could go check on other patients.

Nigel pressed the button on the IV. The medication flowed through his veins, easing the throb in his skull as well as everything else going through his mind. This would be a nice reprieve at least, for now, from doing nothing while he waited for his ‘date’.


	2. Chapter 2

An hour later and Will had been given some pain medicine, as a stipulation for the outing. He'd slept some and was in his wheelchair, waiting for Nigel to come to his room. The time alone had done nothing for him, not mentally, his mind a swirling mess of things that were and what could of been, with Nigel spliced in.

Nigel shuffled in, a nurse with him, who went to Will’s chair and lifted the brakes. She moved him along, and Nigel, for once, quietly followed. He was barely there with the rush of drugs, better than before. He’d wonder later if the nurse did that on purpose. Will was wheeled out to a designated patient out doors spot for friends and family to visit with them, and Nigel waved the nurse off again as she put the brakes on the chair.

“I’ll be back in an hour,” she warned.

“We don’t have watches, sister,” Nigel said to her with a toothy grin, which she rolled her eyes at and left them. Nigel sat down on a bench, and dug around in his sweat pants pockets. He procured a cigarette, a match, and a tiny bottle of Jack Daniels. Slipping the cigarette between his lips, he handed the single serve bottle to Will. “Don’t say I’ve never done nothing nice for you.”

Will took the bottle and then gestured to their little outing and smiled. “Thanks and...likewise.” It was beautiful out, sun beginning to prepare for its decent and the birds overhead, if he closed his eyes, would almost allow for him to imagine he was home. Opening the bottle, he wrapped his lips around it and took a sip, the liquid pleasantly warming his throat. “Do I want to know _how_ you got these?” he asked with a lifted, appreciative brow.

Nigel laughed, deep from his throat, and lit up the cigarette with the one match flicked against the bench. “Probably not. I owe someone now, but I bet it’s worth it.”

Taking another drink, Will swallowed, Adam’s apple bobbing. He nodded and watching Nigel’s every move. “ _We_ owe someone,” he offered, his eyes beaming with unspoken elation at the kindness received.

Nigel grinned, toothy, watching with a gaze that was anything but nice, but had softened around Will, less predatory. “Didn’t want to assume you’d take the fall with me later on,” he teased, inhaling a long drag, letting the nicotine race through his system. He closed his eyes, enjoying it while he had it. “It’s murder that they force patients into withdrawal here.”

Will inwardly chuckled at all of the word choices and took another sip, the little bottle hardly enough to get him drunk or interact with his medicine but enough to calm him. He kept his eyes on Nigel as he swallowed and then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Almost feels like I'm back in lockup,” he heard himself say.

“Yeah? You do a little time in the slammer, darling?” Nigel chuckled, smirking as he took another drag. “You’re too pretty for prison, if I’m honest.”

Will rolled his eyes at that, a small smile creeping over those very same pretty features as he toyed with the label on the little bottle. “I was acquitted,” he began, and took another pull. “Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane.”

“Ah, that kind of lock up,” Nigel mused, though it hardly made his persistence in knowing Will any less. If anything, he was more curious now. “Didn’t kill anyone after all?” Will didn’t have to say it, blood was on the younger man’s hands one way or another, Nigel could almost taste it.

“I...wouldn't say that,” Will said, almost darkly before taking the last big drink of his whiskey. He twisted the cap back on and leveled a look at Nigel, waiting for his reaction, though he could see blood on him too.

Nigel didn’t hide his past or the things he could do. His permanently swollen fingers were tales of a time that he did nothing but put his fists through other people’s faces. “No? Just no one they’ve caught you for, then?” Nigel sucked down another breath of smoke, holding it for a few seconds, and then let it go.

Will looked up at Nigel and nodded his agreement, thinking of Tier, and back to the beginning, with Hobbs, the rush of power he'd felt. “What about the ones you've killed?” he began, knowingly. “Ever been caught or almost caught for any of them?”

“Sure, but in Romania, you can buy your way out of a lot of things,” Nigel said, explaining, and then ashed his cigarette onto the ground. “Or pay people off before you get caught.”

“Convenient,” Will said, leaning back in his chair as the wind blew softly through his curls. He closed his eyes for a second, enjoying it before looking at Nigel again.

“It’s part of life there. It’s not like here, I’m sure, where you can’t buy your freedom,” Nigel sighed, aware that he was likely going to prison after this.

“Oh it still happens here, but not as often,” Will said with a sigh of his own. He spread his legs, hands clasping the bottle between his thighs as he looked up at the orange tinted sky. “Helps if you know the right people.”

“I’ve got a few connections here, we’ll see how that works,” Nigel said, elusively, not wanting to say much in case they were listened to.

Will nodded, able to fill in the blanks and gently scratched over his bandage, the sun warming his exposed, freckled shoulders. “Good.”

The spring air was nice, not as cold and shitty as back home, to Nigel anyway. He watched Will with a complacent gaze. “Hate to know that my fate ended here, hm?”

“Not with so many new opportunities,” Will said quietly, flitting his striking eyes at Nigel, a hint of what could be seen as a coy grin curved on his lips.

“Be a shame to end it all here,” Nigel agreed, taking one last drag before snubbing the stick out on the ground under the bench.

“Yes,” Will said, licking his lips once as he tucked the empty bottle under his leg, out of view until he could properly dispose of it.

Will didn’t say a lot, Nigel noticed, and that was okay. “They tell me your diet is restricted. I did try for the steak…”

“Thanks,” Will said, giving Nigel a smile for his efforts. He had a lot on his mind, the wound he'd suffered profound, but talking to the Romanian and spending time with him, really did put him at ease. “Meat’s off the menu for a while I spose.”

“For now. Depends on if they deem you able to eat it again,” Nigel noted, nodding at Will’s sound. “Must have had to cut some vital pieces out.”

“I'll be able to eat meat again,” Will laughed, sarcastically, though not at Nigel. He rubbed his chin as he spoke next, looking from the trees to the man near him. “He wouldn't have it any other way…”

“He?” Nigel canted his head curiously, eyes narrowing dangerously. “Who is ‘he’, gorgeous?”

“Hannibal,” Will answered, looking in Nigel’s eyes, seeing the blood written there. He was a little more loose lipped, maybe it was the whiskey, or the pain killers, but likely it was that he felt a kinship with Nigel.

“Right. That guy.” There was more in it than Will was saying, Nigel could tell, but he knew not to push, at least not yet. He’d only met Will a little bit ago.

“Yes,” Will said, wringing his hands together on his thigh, as he pushed Hannibal Lecter from his mind for now. “Looks like it'll be...whatever I had for lunch, for quite some time.”

“Lots weird vegetarian dishes out there. Doesn’t have to be boring,” Nigel mentioned, not one who knew too much about all that, but for Will...he’d figure something out.

Will nodded, canting his head a little. He could feel Nigel’s heart, his goodness, beneath everything else, but he wasn't a fool, there was a lot of darkness too. “True. I'm sure I'll get used to it. Not too picky.”

“You adapt pretty well, don’t you?” Nigel asked, having expected more resistance from Will, but the younger man surprised him.

“Adapt, evolve,” Will murmured and then looked off in the distance. “I s’pose I do, when necessary. Don't we all?”

“Either you adapt or you become the prey. It’s unfortunate you adapted and became the prey anyway,” Nigel said with knowing tone, rubbing his hands together. He’d like to get his hands on this Hannibal character.

Will had seen the blade, had the gun, he was far from prey, but he didn't say that. Nigel wasn't bad intentioned and that was enough for him. “It would have happened, sooner or later, as all outcomes do, simultaneously in this world and others.”

“Shit happens to everyone. It’s what you do about it, Will. Do you let one bad deed continue to on, or do you fucking exact it?” Nigel asked, more or less telling Will exactly how he felt about this.

“ _Become_ the beast,” Will said, dark and deep, with full understanding of what Nigel meant. Righteous vengeance in his own mind and maybe that was just fine.

“Are you going to let him get away with that?” Nigel asked, darkly, leaning over on one elbow on the bench peering at Will with wolfish eyes.

“I've been contemplating that since I woke up in this place,” Will answered, finding himself drawn to Nigel’s darkness. No surprise there. “It would be... _rude_ not to return the same favor he did for me.”

“Revenge instead of forgiveness?” Nigel raised a brow, attracted more and more to the man beside him. “Nothing wrong with that. Some people deserve a little vengeance, darling.”

“Even Steven,” Will said, remembering when he'd said it Hannibal before. He shook his head slightly and turned back to glance at Nigel, giving him a dark grin. “And will you seek yours?”

“I’m fairly certain my ex wife will regret all her decisions without my help,” Nigel explained, but smiled, toothily. “But if I ever see that rat faced cunt again, I’ll kill him myself.”

“From what I know of you, she chose...poorly,” Will offered, arching a coy brow. The first real show of any sort of interest.

“She didn’t like my lifestyle. The things I did.” Nigel huffed. “I told her when we married that I was in it for the long run, I don’t make promises lightly. She didn’t believe me.”

“She thought if you loved her, you'd change,” Will mused, pulling his lower lip through his teeth. “But she had the formula wrong.”

“She found out who I really was and what I did,” Nigel explained, taking a deep breath. “But you know, she liked it for a while, the thrill of it all. She let her father plague her ideals, so that meant I wasn’t good enough for her.”

“Maybe she wasn't good enough for you,” Will remarked, stretching his legs a bit and rubbing the back of his neck, careful to not pull too much on his wound. “Either way I'm sure another opportunity will come along.”

“Has to be the right one. I'm in it for the long haul.” Nigel knew what he wanted, but time would tell if he'd get it.

“When it's right, it will be for the long haul,” Will said, looking down at his hands. He was finding himself thinking about Hannibal less, since meeting Nigel.

“Yeah. I'm also impatient as fuck. Love makes me crazy, Will. I do stupid things for love,” Nigel said, leaning a little closer.

“I've don't have a lot of experience in that,” Will said, looking at Nigel. He'd been rejected by Alana, and Hannibal had been…complicated. The curly haired man wondered what it would be like to be really loved. “Maybe you need someone who knows how to handle you,” he smirked, playfully and then looked away.

Nigel bared his sharp teeth at Will for that, grinning wolfishly. “That I do. Maybe I’m a fool for looking in all the wrong places… until now.”

Will chuckled, roughly at that. “Possibly,” he said, and gave Nigel a look that said otherwise, that he liked it.

“No. I know what I like, I know potential, too, when I see it. You’ve got both, gorgeous.” Nigel wouldn’t push, however, there was no saying what his fate would lead them to.

Looking at Nigel through his lashes, Will’s smile didn't falter. He'd followed a cannibal, up to a certain point, he wasn't worried about the Romanian’s demons, per say. “Potential,” he echoed, familiar words from a different time flashed behind his eyes. “I do enjoy your company…”

“That’s a start,” Nigel said with a grin, exposing his shark like teeth.

Nigel was really easy on the eyes too, but Will wasn't one for saying that. “A good start,” he chuckled again and looked at the Romanian’s mouth before turning away.

Nigel laughed, reaching out to touch Will’s leg, feeling that bolt of electricity shock right through him. “Yeah.”

Will would usually recoil from such touches but he felt that spark too, and he darted his cerulean hues up to meet Nigel’s gaze, a flirtatious expression on his beautiful face. “Wonder how much longer we have out here.”

“They told me an hour, but who knows, maybe they’ll forget about us,” Nigel barked, coughing a little from his smoking he’d done.

“If only,” Will laughed, and then rolled his head on his shoulders. “Nurse was easy enough to convince though.”

“They like me out of their hair,” Nigel noted, laughing, taking his hand back to himself for now. “You did them a favor.”

Will almost reached out to stop Nigel from removing his hand, but decided otherwise. Instead, he nodded, and leaned back. “People like us are better separated, off together where they don't have to deal.”

“We’re pains in the ass, we don’t listen to rules, much,” Nigel smirked, though he had a feeling Will worked just fine within the confines of the rules.

“Some rules are made to be followed, others...broken or bent,” Will offered, smirking back as he took off the break on the wheelchair and moved closer to the tree, which was also closer to Nigel. “I know a few who might say I'm a pain in the ass.”

“Nothing wrong with that. I prefer it,” Nigel said with a wink at Will, clearly flirting now, openly.

“Do you?” Will asked, with a smile, not the best at flirting but he was aware Nigel was now.

“People who suck up to the law and do everything by the book are _boring_ , sweetheart. I loathe boring,” Nigel explained, a lilt to his tone.

“You don't want to be alone in that darkness,” Will surmised, putting the break back down, only a foot from Nigel and the tree.

Nigel scooted over if Will wanted to move over and sit, if not, that was fine too. “Who does?”

Will pushed up from the wheelchair, after a pause and carefully stood, sitting next to Nigel instead. The view was better from there anyways and he was eager to be out of the chair. “Even the most solitary among us, need occasional companionship.”

Nigel leaned closer. Will smelled like hospital soap, it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t great though. He probably smelled worse. “Everyone wants to be understood, yeah.”

“And with that understanding, a connection is made,” Will said, turning to see Nigel closer like that. It made his heart quicken as he swallowed with an audible click.

“Usually how it works, blue eyes,” Nigel said, softer, fondly, gazing at Will like he was the only thing that mattered. Nigel was falling hard, and it’d only been an afternoon.

Will had never had someone so directly flirt with him. When Hannibal-- who in his mind, wasn't capable of love-- looked at him, there was multiple trains running; he preferred to speak in poetry or riddles, but with Nigel, there was none of that. “Usually, yes…” he said, just a soft, feeling the swirl of attraction.

Nigel reached out and moved a strand of hair out of Will’s face, and then touched it between the pads of his thumb and forefinger, smirking at the younger man. “I won’t lie, I really like you, Will.”

Drawing a breath, Will licked his lips before parting them. “You're not so bad either, Nigel,” he said, really liking him in all honesty. It was sudden, and unusual for him but something in Nigel was chipping away at his forts. Not there yet, but getting there.

“I know,” Nigel chuckled, and touched Will’s stubbly cheek, fondly. He’d take it slow, he had a feeling Will was not the sort to dive head first in love.

Will allowed the touch, leaning into it just _so_ and chuckled back, quietly and rolled his eyes at Nigel’s arrogance. He was happy though, for once, wondering what might come along to ruin it. “I’m sure you do…”

“Confidence is key, darling,” Nigel said, giving Will a look, stroking his face just once with the backs of his fingers, and then let go. “I hope I’m not overwhelming you.”

“Surprisingly no,” Will said with an almost awkward grin. He normally would be overwhelmed, maybe all the touching Hannibal had done had gotten him somewhat accustomed to it, but this was vastly different.

“Good,” Nigel said, and just as he reached out to lean in once more, the door opened and the nurse came back out to wrangle them back in. “Cock blocks, all of them.”

Will let out a laugh at that, shaking his head as he was moved into his wheelchair. “This was nice,” he said to Nigel, not sure if they'd be allowed to eat together or not.

“It was,” Nigel said, keeping close to Will, dragging his pole along as they went back inside. He snatched the empty bottle and shoved it into his sweatpant pocket when no one was watching.

Giving Nigel a look of thanks, Will leaned back in the chair and enjoyed the ride, mostly since the Romanian was still near by. The nurse stopped outside of Will’s room and looked at Nigel.

“You can have dinner with him but then it's back to your room, Mister Ursu.”

Nigel was all for going back to his room, but was more set on staying a bit longer. “Thank you,” he told the nurse, genuinely. “I hope it’s something better than mystery meat.”

“Sir, I don't make the meals,” she reminded and pushed Will inside. She went to help him into bed and then changed his bandage just as the food trays arrived. “I'll be back to check on you both and make sure you're resting,” she said and leveled them a look before leaving.

“You're going to grow tired of me,” Will joked, once the trays were on the table and the staff member was gone.

Nigel sat across from Will this time, looking at the meal. “Who says? You? You’d be wrong.” Nigel popped the lids off the drinks and meals for them both, Will first.

“I'll take your word,” Will smiled and nodded his thanks to Nigel. He took a look at the food, a vegetable medley with rice pilaf. “At least it's not the same as before. Yours looks a little better.”

“It looks like chicken,” Nigel said poking at it with his fork, and tried some. “Tastes a little like chicken.”

“That's good news,” Will said, and then stabbed a piece of broccoli, stuffing it into his mouth. It wasn't cooked well enough, and he longed for that steak or even some fish, but it would do. “I'd gladly trade you if I could.”

Nigel cut up some of the chicken and slipped it over to Will without another thought, shrugging his large shoulders. “Eat at your own risk, darling.”

Will had survived worse, so he took a small bite, quietly groaning at the taste. “Thanks,” he said, after swallowing and then chased it with tea, to be safe. “Not too bad.”

“I swear, if I get out of here with you, I’ll take you somewhere better for a good first meal out,” Nigel promised, eating some of Will’s rice, not one to complain much, but this food wasn’t the best. He started to wonder if the brain injury took his sense of taste.

Same with Will, he didn't complain much either but he'd certainly had far better. “Then it's a...date,” he said, knowing that's exactly what it would be. They had time in here yet to become acquainted either way.

“I’m going to do my best to get out of here then,” Nigel grinned and stuffed more food into his mouth, aware that if they didn’t eat, they were given more at the next meal, especially those with serious injuries and in need of recovery.

Will did the same, taking bite after bite and chasing each one with his drink. “Good, as will I,” he commented and wiped his mouth. A lot had happened in one day but he wasn't unhappy with this part of it.

“You’ve just got to heal,” Nigel pointed out, who had the same, but also the FBI on his ass. If they let him go,he’d be monitored. A lot.

Will had other demons on his back, but Nigel was right. He finished off his food with a nod then opened the jello for both of them. “I will...see what their plans are,” he whispered, knowing Jack would likely be in to see him soon enough. He also hasn't told the Romanian of his affiliation, until now, but decided it was time for that. “The FBI.”

Cocking a barely there brow at Will, the Romanian stared, otherwise expressionless. “I thought you were acquitted?”

“I was,” Will began, eating a bite of jello and setting the spoon down. “I worked for them, profiling, but not exactly an agent. Or I did. I have connections.”

Nigel worked his spoon into the jello slowly, eyes never wavering as he seemed to consider and watch Will carefully. Will couldn’t have known who Nigel was before he walked in, Nigel did that to himself. “Special Agent? One of those people they use when their own can’t do the job, is that right?”

“Yes,” Will answered, looking up at Nigel, taking another careful bite as he waited for his reaction. “I get into their heads, figure out their motives,” he explained, waving an idle hand in the air.

“That right?” Nigel asked as he sucked the jello off the spoon, sharp teeth around the plastic. “Even after being locked away?” Either way, Nigel was a bit more hesitant now.

Will could tell, and it made his own walls begin to rise. “Yeah,” he said, looking down at his jello, poking at it more than anything. The rain always came. “As I said, I was acquitted.”

“I know, I heard,” Nigel said, and set his jello down, spoon along side it. “Wasn’t sure how much the FBI continued to use those, is all. Shady organization,” he murmured. “Planning to go back?”

“No,” Will answered though he was sure Jack would have something to say on the matter, eventually. He first finished his jello and put the lids on the trays, leaning back. “And I don't want to see you caught, just so we're _clear_ on the matter.”

“I’m already caught,” Nigel pointed out, looking around them. “I’m under surveillance. Just a matter of time if they consider me well enough to enter your society, or they send me home, _or_ they lock me up.”

“I meant locked up,” Will muttered, around his glass and sighed, sitting his drink down. He laced his fingers over his belly, above the wound. “You just _might_ want me on your side, Nigel. Think about that.”

“I wanted you on my side the second I saw you,” Nigel said with a smirk, openly flirting again. Will was not the usual scum of the FBI, which was nice.

“Must've been my charm,” Will teased, with a small smile almost hating that Nigel could make him do that. He wasn't sure what to make of everything, yet.

“It was something,” Nigel barked out a laugh and sat back, pushing his tray on top of Will’s, both of them done, and collecting the ware onto one tray.

Will shrugged and gave Nigel a playful look. “It was, for both of us,” he offered, raising his brows briefly.

“Oh yeah? What did you think about me when I walked in today?” Nigel asked curiously.

“At first I considered telling you to leave,” Will said, honestly with a laugh, rubbing his bicep. “But then you spoke and I decided against it. Your forthright nature is refreshing.”

“You like accents?” Nigel teased, smiling as he relaxed with Will once more. “I’m only ever myself, darling.”

“Good,” Will said, knowing that Nigel was being honest. No hidden agendas. No vague or creepy poetry. Just Nigel. “Another thing that stood out.”

Nigel laughed, rubbing over his chest with one hand, over the itchy gown. “You didn’t answer the question.”

“I'm well acquainted with them,” Will answered, honestly and followed Nigel’s hand with his eyes. He did like the way the gruff man spoke, accent and all. “As far as accents go, yours isn't bothersome.”

“Good to know it’s not bothersome,” Nigel grinned, not taking any offense to anything. The drugs he was on made him less gruff, less likely to be upset, and it wasn’t as though Will was _his_ … just yet.

“No,” Will grinned back and took up his drink again to sip. He needed a bit more pain medicine, truthfully, but being stubborn he didn't ask for any. “I don't find you bothersome as a whole, not so far at least.”

Nigel had heard all of that before, too. He sighed out heavily, long legs splayed out under the table, careful not to touch Will, as delicate as his state of unrest and friendship seemed to be. “Do you make first impression assumptions? Later change your mind about someone?”

“Usually don't need to make assumptions,” Will explained, and looked at Nigel. He could tell the man was worried he'd change his mind, like his ex did. “My empathy tells me what I need to know, when I chose to let someone in.”

“Yeah? What’s empathy tell you now?” Nigel asked, skeptically.

Will let himself open up, fully then, stepping into Nigel’s shoes. “You like me, but you're not entirely sure if you can trust me, both due to my affiliation and your past,” he began, his tone flat as he mused out loud, though quietly. “You've killed, without a thought or bit of remorse, and you would again, especially for love. And underneath it all, you're lonely, you want to drown in someone else, be...consumed by them, as well as possess every part of them.”

Impressed, Nigel blinked only once, staring at Will. “Well, you got me pegged, sweetheart. That’s some trick.”

“It's more of a curse than a trick or a gift, as some might think,” Will said around his glass, swallowing the rest of his tea. “I tend to build forts to keep people out. Otherwise it can get overwhelming.”

“Hm,” Nigel hummed, watching Will carefully. “Still, a neat little trick, to be able to do that when you want to.”

Will shrugged, but smiled at Nigel. “It has come in handy a few times,” he offered, knowing he could be a brick wall sometimes. “But I'm sure you read people too, in your own way. You'd have to in your line of work, as it were.”

So, of the little tells that Nigel had given, Will had figured him out after all. Nigel didn’t deny, he merely nodded his head, silvery, unwashed strands falling into his eyes. “Yeah. I think if people pay attention they can do what you do, but the problem is half the world shuts their eyes to everyone around them. You just have your eyes open most of the time, don’t you, sweetheart?”

“Yes, I s’pose I do,” Will said, knowing that Nigel was right for the most part though empathy wasn't something everyone could have. Still, he understood what he meant, the world was blind to most things. “Most people are just sheep, waiting to be devoured by a wolf.”

“And the wolf is waiting in sheep’s clothing,” Nigel commented with a look at Hannibal, ever hardening, ever growing more understanding. He was starting to see that Will was less of victim to what happened to him, and more of a… active participant.

“A perfectly placed suit, hiding in plain sight,” Will agreed, impressed by Nigel’s perception, his intelligence. He figured most didn't anticipate that when it came to the Romanian, and maybe that kept his cunning a bit hidden when he didn't want it to be seen.

Nigel had to be taken seriously, for his street smarts, not his intelligence. He wasn’t just a thug, but that’s what he needed people to assume. He was in no way on Will’s level, but he could keep up for a while. “That’s how predators work.”

“They do,” Will said, exhaling as glanced towards Nigel. They were both no strangers to violence or blood and that suited Will just fine; he definitely found Nigel interesting.

The nurse came in then, and gave them both a look.

“Time to get some rest, both of you,” she said, looking over the portions eaten as the kitchen staff came in behind her to collect the trays.

Nigel gave the nurse a half hearted, toothy grin that might have been more of sneer if she bothered to pay attention at all. He stood, carefully, head swimming a bit as he got up too fast, catching himself on the table. “See you around, Will.”

“That you will, Nigel,” Will assured, his tone deep as he watched him, the nurse offering her arm to help him walk.

“If you'll let me help you, Mister Ursu…”

Nigel rolled his eyes at the nurse and waved at Will as she ushered him out. He didn’t need the help, but he’d rather not fall flat on his face either.


	3. Chapter 3

Will and Nigel spent the next few days getting to know each other, and when the end of the week came, Will was welcomed to go, but Nigel was still under deep observation, his injury a more complicated than he realized, or that’s what they told Will. Being shot in the head and surviving wasn’t heard of often.

Nigel stood in his room, up against a wall, head back, one hand resting over closed eyes. Some days weren’t too bad, but then he had some like today, where retaining information was a little harder than usual. He could remember his name, but not where he was born. It came to him some time later, but that it happened at all made it difficult to swallow down that his mind would never be the same again.

Sometimes his fingers didn’t work, or he thought they could but holding even a glass was hard for a second or two, and then he was back to normal. He didn’t bother Will with these things, the bastard was getting out.

Discharge papers in hand, Will walked to Nigel’s room, dressed in a blue flannel and jeans. He knocked, even though it was open and looked in. “So I've come to say I'll see you later,” he said, quietly, having grown more and more fond of the Romanian.

Nigel rubbed his hand down his face once, and then looked over at Will, steeling up all the reserves he had left with his sleep depraved mind. He licked his lips once. “Uh, Yeah. So they… they say you’re a free man.”

Walking in, Will nodded, his hands stuffed in his pockets as he in turn wet his lips. “None of us are ever really free,” he offered with a chuckle but was certainly concerned about Nigel. “I'll come visit, if you'd like, bring that steak?”

“You don’t have to, gorgeous,” Nigel said with a shake of his aching head, vision blurring slightly. “I know you got shit to do with… uhm…” He gestured a hand, unable to tack on the name off the top of his head. “The cannibal or whatever.”

“Hannibal,” Will said, stepping a bit closer but not invasively. “I don't _have_ to, no, but I'd...like to. As for Doctor Lecter, I'm still sorting that out,” he explained, quietly. He wouldn't push though if Nigel didn't want him to visit.

Nigel was very aware of his deteriorating state, and why put Will through that? He sighed, looking at the ex agent with a smile. “You're going to anyway. Stubborn,” he teased.

“If it was me staying, you'd come anyway, too,” Will pointed out with a grin. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket, one he'd gotten off a janitor and discreetly offered it over. “For the whiskey.”

“It was a gift, darling,” Nigel said with apparent love and adoration in his eyes for Will, however little they knew of each other. He took the cigarette anyway, a waste if he didn’t.

Will’s fingers brushed Nigel’s as he let go of the cigarette and gave him a look of something warm and growing in his chest. “Then so was that,” he said, gesturing and sighed, not terribly good with goodbyes, even if this wasn't exactly one. “Try not to piss off the staff to much,” he smirked, playfully.

“For you, Will, I’ll try, hm?” Nigel said with a fond smile, stuffing the cigarette into his pocket, wondering who he could bribe to let him outside for a bit.

“Good,” Will said, continuing to grin. He extended his hand, and offer to shake or whatever Nigel decided on. “So I'll see you around, Nigel.”

“So you will,” Nigel said, shaking hand taking Will’s into a firm grasp, holding it longer than he would others, letting their eyes meet, trying to commit this to memories he wasn’t even sure he’d have tomorrow. “You know where to find me.”

“That I do,” Will said, his tone deep and quiet. He squeezed Nigel’s hand and then slowly slipped his fingers away. It was harder than he'd anticipated. “Get some rest.”

Nigel let go reluctantly, mouth grimly placed. There was no saying Will would come back, and Nigel wouldn’t blame him. “That’s all I got time for in here…”

Will’s empathy was getting the better of him and he gently clapped a hand on Nigel’s bicep, his eyes dilated. Leaning in just a bit, he sucked his lower lip through his teeth. “See you soon.”

“Will…” Nigel started to say, watching the empath’s eyes carefully, knowing he was unstable himself, but he couldn’t help but ask. “Can I ask for one kiss, darling?”

Will’s heart beat faster at that as his beautiful eyes met Nigel’s. He nodded and leaned in, ghosting his lips over the bigger man’s before softly pressing them together. Nigel slipped his hand behind Will’s head and pulled him closer but kiss him softly, sweetly, his own raw, dry, cracked lips against Will’s perfectly soft ones, warm and attentive.

Muscular arms went around Nigel’s waist, and up his back as he parted his lips to slip his tongue just enough to taste him; a quiet groan resonated from his chest. The older man cupped Will’s face and kissed him little deeper, their mouths slotting together perfectly, tongue slipping past plush lips to pull more of those perfect noises from Will.

Inhaling sharply through his nose, Will canted his head to the side, a brow twitching for a second as he gripped Nigel's back just a bit tighter. He'd never been kissed like this and it was obvious by the moan that went into the other’s mouth. “Shit…” he whispered, catching his breath and smiling.

“Never kissed a man have you?” Nigel asked, with a coy little, sexy snarl on his lips, gently nipping at Will’s lips once.

“No,” Will answered, his tone rough as he stroked Nigel’s face, thumbing over his cheekbone. “But I could get used to that,” he chuckled and then leaned in to kiss him once more.

More than ever Nigel wanted to whisk Will away from this place and hide away with him for a while. He breathed out slowly through his nose as he kissed Will again, and again, longer with every pass of their lips and tongues.

Flushed and panting, Will finally pulled back, hard as concrete. He held Nigel around his biceps and licked his kiss swollen lips. “I’d feel better, if you were in bed when I left.”

Nigel licked his own lips once, aware that Will could ask the world of him and he’d gladly hand it over now, his attachment was imminent. “Anything for you, gorgeous.”

“Thank you,” Will said, softly and then walked with Nigel to the bed, lowering the railing for him, carefully. He wanted to stay with him or better yet see him healthy and free, but they'd have to make do for now. “I'll come back tomorrow for dinner, maybe before.”

Despite how desperately turned on he was, Nigel hardly looked the epitome of health, bandages still soaked through often with blood and ooze, the wound deep and still healing. He let himself be coddled by Will, even just that little bit, as he got into the bed. “Any time is a good time.”

“Good, I'll try not to make you wait too long,” Will smiled, assessing Nigel’s wounds. He leaned down and kissed him once more and then backed off, a warmth in his belly.

“Go get your dogs,” Nigel murmured, reaching his hand for the morphine button, he’d rather be mostly out of it while Will gone anyway. “They miss you.”

Will handed Nigel the button and the call remote, nodding. He stepped back and scrubbed a hand over his face. “They do, so I'll see you tomorrow,” he said, fondly and then left.

“Yeah,” Nigel said, long after Will had left, mostly staring in the dark of his room, no television on, no blinds open. Everything was a little more grim feeling with Will gone.

***

Will was elated to be back with his dogs, he'd spent the night prior just loving on them and bathing them, though still careful of his wound. Still, he felt a void without the loud and gruff Nigel around. Hannibal was hardly a thought, though Abigail was still very much so.

Will fed the pack, let them out and once they were back in and he cleaned up, he decided on going to the hospital for lunch instead of dinner. Stopping by a diner he got them both lunch and a pack of cigarettes as well, heading to the hospital.

“Nigel?” Will said, knocking on the door to see if he was inside, bags in hand.

The bandage was off, and the hole from the bullet was as gruesome as ever as Nigel turned his head from where he sat on the edge of his bed for… well he couldn’t remember. Time was a lost issue. “Well, look who it is.”

Will walked over and set the bags down, nearing Nigel. “Hey…” he began, concern written all over his face. He leaned in to kiss him once, taking the opportunity to look at the wound closer. “Brought lunch and cigarettes, but you can't have either until we get a nurse in here to clean and bandage this…”

“Is it hideous?” Nigel asked, having lost it a little earlier with his impatience, he was lucky the nurses didn’t have my strapped down to the bed. Then again, they gave him something pretty nice to calm him.

“It looks...angry,” Will answered, honestly, pressing his lips together in a thin line. He sighed and pushed the call button, tucking the cigarettes into his pocket for now. “Why'd you take the bandage off, Nigel?”

“Itchy,” Nigel murmured, looking from his hands to Will, and then touched Will’s waist gently, as if to feel if he was really there or not. He was solid and as real as could be. “How’s your dogs, darling?”

Will smiled at that and placed his hands on Nigel’s shoulders, standing right in front of him still. “They're good, happy,” he hummed, “eager to meet you. So you need to take care of yourself in here, do what they say so you can get better.”

“I’m trying, sweetheart,” Nigel whispered, swallowing down the lump in his throat. “I get moments of forgetting things, and that leads to some panic.” He breathed out once. “I panicked. I’m okay though. Don’t… worry about me.”

“I think we both know _that's_ not going to happen,” Will said, quietly, unable to not worry about Nigel. He felt a strong tug in his heart, as though their meeting was fate--which usually he didn't believe in. “I know all about forgetting things, losing time. It certainly induces panic.”

The nurse came in, looking a both men and then seeing Nigel’s wound.

“Mister Ursu…” she sighed, and pushed the little supply cart over to the other side of his bed as Will moved back out of the way but stayed somewhat near. “Lie back for me please, I need to flush out your wound, check the stitches, and redress this.”

Nigel sat there and let the nurse do what she had to do, but his free hand latched on to Will’s, afraid he might try to make a run for it. “It’s fine. Just needs to be cleaned.”

“And redressed,” Will said, giving Nigel a reassuring but firm look as he stepped close again, squeezing his hand gently.

“Yes, as Mister Graham said, it needs to be dressed properly to prevent bacteria from getting inside the wound,” she said and then used saline to cleanse the wound first, checking the stitches, which were fine. Once she was done with cleaning it up, she began to carefully wrap his head.

“What would I ever do without all of you here to tell me these things,” Nigel said, looking at Will with a wink. “I appreciate it.”

Will shook his head, grinning at that; he didn't let go of Nigel’s hand and stayed right at his side. “Of course,” he said quietly.

Once the nurse was done, she changed out his medicine bags and made some notes, looking to Will. “Try not to tire him out. He can go out for some fresh air, if he likes,” she said and then left.

“I brought steak,” Will said, arching a brow as he let go of Nigel's hand to take the styrofoam boxes from the bag. “Food or a cigarette first?”

“Food. Cigarettes make it taste worse,” Nigel chuckled. “We can do both outside.”

“Good idea,” Will chuckled back and rebagged the boxes, which were thankfully still hot. He held it with one hand and offered the other. “C’mere.”

Nigel tugged the pole with him and took Will’s hand, glad that the younger man offered it, leveling and anchor Nigel into reality. “Now and then I have them.”

“So I shouldn't get used to them?” Will teased, showing his pearly teeth as they slowly walked out of the room. He understood how almost otherworldly it felt to have the mind affected.

“Very funny,” Nigel murmured as they walked down the hall slowly. “Look at you all put together and showered…”

“As appealing as the hospital look was on me, I decided to change,” Will smirked, sassy but well intended. When they reached the door to the outside, he opened it for Nigel, waiting.

Nigel shuffled through, taking a moment when the air hit him all at once and then moved along toward the table there with a few chairs to sit down. “If I ever get out of here I’m going to burn these sweats.”

Will sat too and set out the boxes, opening it up. Steak, baked potato and vegetables for Nigel, and a vegetarian option for him. “I can bring you anything you need you know,” he offered, sliding the pack of cigarettes from his pocket, over to him, lighter and all. “Just tell me before I go.”

“Can’t bring me _everything_ I need, gorgeous,” Nigel said with a smirk, and took the knife and fork provided and cut into the steak, popping a piece into his mouth with a hum.

That earned Nigel a playful eye roll before Will took a bite of the mock steak. It wasn't bad, better than the food here, but clearly not as good as the real deal. “I guess not but I can try to make you as comfortable as I can.”

“You’re doing a fine job,” Nigel murmured around another bite and then pushed a piece of steak to Will. “How’s the healing?”

Will took the steak and popped it in his mouth, savoring it on his tongue before he chewed and swallowed. “Thanks,” he said, swallowing down some water that he'd also pulled from the bag for them both. “Good. Itches some and I have to come back in a bit to get the stitches removed but I can't complain.”

“Good to hear, gorgeous,” Nigel said with a little smile as he ate with gusto. “Fucking so much better than their food here. You’re an angel, Will.”

“Never been called that but I'm glad you like it,” Will smiled, looking at Nigel through his lashes before he took another bite. It felt good being around him again, he just wished it was under different circumstances. “Has anybody been by to talk to you? Jack Crawford, or anyone from the bureau?”

“Not yet,” Nigel said as he grabbed the water to take a sip, really wishing it was whiskey or a beer. “I’m sure they will.”

“They will,” Will agreed and then slipped two little bottles of jack from his pocket, sliding one to Nigel. “Jack’s a beast but you'll have no issues handling him.”

“Handle him?” Nigel asked, giving Will a grateful smile as he plucked the bottle up with his fingers and twisted off the cap. He downed it in a few swallows. “If I weren’t in here, there is plenty I could do to handle him.”

“So could I,” Will said, darkly, but he hoped it wouldn't come to that. He smiled back at Nigel and opened his bottle, drinking half. “He comes off nice at first, and then flips the switch when he’s not getting what he wants.”

“If he wants something, information, I have it, on Darko, back home,” Nigel offered, prodding a little to see if Will knew what it was the FBI would want with him.

“That's a good start,” Will said, and took another bite. He finished off the whiskey and wiped his mouth. “There's been a lot of Romanian gang wars springing up here. If Darko is the one orchestrating that, and you can deliver him to Jack, or help him find him, it should give you immunity.”

“He’s probably still hiding away in his club back home, thinking no one will get him,” Nigel sighed, finishing the steak and on to the potato now.

Will took a bite of his as well, humming and then knitted his brows together, contemplatively. “His arrogance will be what gets him caught.”

“I’ve always told him so,” Nigel said and sat back, full now, and let his eyes rest on Will instead. “I’ll give Jack anything he needs.”

Will finished off his potato and washed it down with water, not a smoker himself but he was certain Nigel would be doing that any minute, so he stayed put. “Good idea,” he smiled and leaned back, hands holding the water between his thick thighs. “S’long as you do that, I'll see what I can do to move things along.”

“If the doctors and nurses see fit to let me go,” Nigel said, tapping his head with the bandage. He pulled a cigarette from the package, not his preferred brand, but it would do. He put it between his lips and lit it up. “Fuck…” He let out a long sigh and closed his eyes, letting the nicotine take rush through him.

“They will eventually,” Will said, knowing he might need lots of care, even when released. Looking at the cigarettes, then to Nigel, he sipped his water. “When you do get out of here, my house is open to you.”

“Yeah? Where do you live, exactly?” Nigel asked, blowing out smoke slowly. “You said a place called Wolftrap, but where is that?”

“About an hour or so from here,” Will explained, leaning forward, forearms resting on the table. “Out in the middle of nowhere, which suits me just fine.”

“I should have known,” Nigel laughed, inhaling another long drag. “I’m not used to the quiet or nothing. I’ve known the bustle of the city my whole life.”

“Well, as I said, my doors open if you want it,” Will said, rubbing his chin. He wouldn't leave his little slice of paradise, plus, the dogs needed the space. “You might like it if you try it.”

“Oh, I wasn’t knowing it, darling, just explaining,” Nigel said, feet splayed out in front of him, enjoying the sun as much as he could.

Will nodded and stretched his legs too, accidentally bumping Nigel’s foot with his booted one. “You were married, do you have any children, siblings?”

Nigel laughed, and rubbed his socked foot up Will’s calf. “No. Gabi didn’t want children, she said it was too dangerous. Couldn’t blame her. No siblings that I know of.”

The empath reached across the table and covered Nigel’s free hand with both of his, breathing out audibly at what was going on under the table. “No siblings here either,” he said, offering up a tid bit in an act of fondness and reciprocity.

“You seemed the type not to have siblings or kids,” Nigel smiled, creeping his toes up Will’s pant leg.

“Do I?” Will asked, roughly as his skin heated and cock throbbed. He spread his legs, adjusting in his seat to accommodate as he grinned coyly and pulled his lip through his teeth.

“You live in solitude. Kids don’t give you no fucking solitude,” Nigel chuckled, darkly, inching his feet up, daringly, to Will’s knee, knowing full well what he was doing, and the empath was letting him.

Will liked it, even if he rarely showed that side of himself. He moved forward in the chair a bit, his seductive blue eyes laser focused on Nigel. “No, they don't,” he murmured, squeezing the Romanian’s hand, rubbing the rough pad of his thumb over the tattoo there.

Nigel smoked the last of his cigarette and then snubbed it out and nodded toward Will. “You’re too far away, darling, come a little closer,” he beckoned.

Looking around, Will stood up, hands in front of his bulge as he walked over and sat in the chair next to Nigel; he canted his head towards him and smiled. “Here?”

Nigel spread his thighs. “Here.” He rubbed his palms over his thick thighs.

All things considered, they were in a pretty private area. Will shifted his jaw, and then decided; he got up and straddled Nigel’s lap, albeit a bit awkwardly. The tight, round swell of his ass pressed into him as he braced himself with two large hands in the Romanian’s shoulders. “Better?” he asked, raising two coy brows.

“Much,” Nigel whispered, leaning up to kiss Will’s mouth slowly, hands on his hips, finger splayed across his pert ass.

Will leaned into the kiss, one hand curving around Nigel’s sharp jaw as he slid their tongues together, his eyes fluttering shut. He groaned, deep and reasonating, pressing his hips closer still. Nigel held will just there, and planted his feet, rolling his own hips gently against Will’s, careful not to be too rough, not like he wanted to be.

“Will…” he whispered parting their mouths, tongues sliding together softly, licking, lapping, nothing rushed.

“Nigel…” Will whispered back, fingers threading through Nigel’s hair, making sure he avoided the bandaged area. His heart raced, despite the slowness of their actions and nosed against him, gently before kissing him again.

“Been dreaming about you, gorgeous,” Nigel murmured against Will’s mouth before taking his plump lip between his teeth and slowly pulling on it.

“You've been in mine,” Will said softly, and honestly, though he'd had other dreams too. It didn't matter right now. He took Nigel’s full top lip into his mouth, slotting them together perfectly and ran his tongue over it.

“God, what I would do to be able to take you over that table,” Nigel replied, half lidded eyes dark as he gazed at Will, almost like he was dazed, or drugged, but senses wide awake. He kissed down Will’s chin to his jaw, biting softly at stubbled flesh.

Will felt himself growl at that, and dig his nails into Nigel’s shoulders, his cock leaking in his pants as he tilted his head back and to the side so the Romanian could have full access to his neck. “I wouldn't be opposed to that idea, if we could,” he breathed, trying to calm himself. “Fuck-”

“Don’t tempt me, Will,” Nigel groaned, biting at Will’s neck softly, against his pulse, biting and holding it there, worrying the spot for a soft bruise.

“Once you're better,” Will promised and then ground down, as if to prove his point. He'd never been so turned on before now. “Nigel-”

“I’ll hold you to that promise,” Nigel growled, tasting Will’s skin as he sucked a bruise into the pale canvas, holding Will over his hips, friction created as they moved in waves together.

“I’d expect nothing less,” Will drawled, throatily as he was marked, but in a way he didn't mind at all. Leaning forward, he did the same, scraping his teeth over Nigel’s tattoo, biting enough to make a bruise. He sucked on the area of the bite, pressing his tongue over it to stake his claim.

“Good, just like that, Will,” Nigel breathed, holding him still over his hips as he pushed up into him, gripping his ass. He could wait for this, for Will.

Will was burning with desire for Nigel, but he didn't mind waiting either. When he was sure he'd left his mark, he licked up to the Romanian's lips and kissed him anew, tasting every corner of his delicious mouth. Nigel tasted of steak and cigarettes, and something completely him. He held Will around the waist as they kissed, nipping at his lips slowly.

After a few more minutes Will pulled back to gaze at Nigel through half kissed hues and smiled. “You taste…perfect.”

Nigel chuckled, carefully resting his head against Will’s, just lightly. “So do you, gorgeous.”

Will chuckled back, closing his eyes briefly and then kissed Nigel once more. “I should probably get off of your lap before we're caught like this.”

“What are they going to do? Kick you out? Handcuff me to the bed for kissing you?” Nigel grinned at that, teasing, of course. “You give me good reason to behave and get out of here, Will.”

“They could stop letting us come out here,” Will pointed out, and bit Nigel’s lower lip playfully. He smiled at the last bit and stroked his cheek before climbing off his lap to sit next to him. “Good.”

“You make it hard to not want to be good though, too,” Nigel said, watching Will crawl off, his own erection evident through his thinning sweatpants.

Will looked at the tenting in Nigel’s pants and licked his lips, his own visible through his tight jeans that hugged him in all the right places. “You make me want to break a few rules as well…”

Glad not to be hooked up to any monitors, Nigel licked his lips as well, watching Will with a predatory gaze. “We’ll get our time to be bad, darling.”

“I have no doubts,” Will grinned, rubbing his jaw, the other arm outstretched behind Nigel’s back. “Have they told you any estimates in recovery?”

“I guess as soon as I don't need morphine or antibiotics anymore,” Nigel guessed, but honestly, he's recovered without before, but the drugs were nice.

“I'll talk with the doctor on my way out. I have to visit Alana as well, before leaving,” Will said, sighing. He wondered how many lives would have been spared this, if he'd gone with Hannibal but then again, he wouldn't have met Nigel, which was the best aspect of his life, along with his dogs.

Nigel smiled, and leaned over to kiss Will, touching his jaw softly with his fingers. “You’re too good to people you know, Will.”

Will smiled over Nigel’s lips and kissed him back, placing his calloused hand over the one on his jaw. “Some, like Jack, use it against me,” he said quietly, breathing Nigel in. “But I'm aware of it, even if he thinks I'm not.”

“Good. You’re smart, he should realize that,” Nigel murmured, holding their lips together for a moment longer, wanting to remember every single moment.

“He just wants to borrow my imagination, as he worded it,” Will said, placing soft kisses over Nigel’s lips. “I didn't anticipate this, Nigel, and I'm not very predisposed to romance but I like you. I want you to get out of here.”

“I’ll teach you,” Nigel murmured, honeyed amber eyes watching Will like a hawk, not wanting for him to move away too quickly. “Anything you want to know, when I get out of here.”

Will wouldn't ever be one to quote verse but he smiled and nodded anyways, open to the idea at least. “I'm sure we'll have a lot to teach each other,” he offered, lacing his fingers with Nigel’s.

Nigel smiled and brought Will’s hand to his lips and kissed his perfect knuckles. “Yeah. We sure will.”

The truth was, Will was falling, but he was still cautious, considering Nigel’s confession that love drove him insane. It would be one thing to work on. For now, he needed him to get better and get out of the hospital. At the kiss to his hand, he hummed, deep and low, looking at the gruff man’s mouth. “What should I bring for dinner?”

“You’re coming back?” Nigel asked, surprised, rubbing his thumb over Will’s knuckles softly, unable to let go.

“I'll need to go home and spend some time with the dogs, feed and take them out,” Will said, warmly and licked his lips, liking the affection. “But yes. If that's alright?”

“Yeah, yeah of course it’s alright,” Nigel whispered and kissed Will’s knuckles again, and then turned his hand over and kissed his palm, too. “I’m just happy you’re coming at all.”

“Course I'm coming back,” Will whispered back, clearing his throat. He didn't stop Nigel from doing anything he wanted. “Someone's gotta make sure you don't get into more trouble.”

“I’m going to try my hardest to be a very good boy for you, Will,” Nigel purred, lacing their fingers together.

“See that you do,” Will murmured and tightened his grip some on Nigel's hand, eyes darkening a little. “You know what happens to _bad_ boys, don't you?”

Nigel’s light eye darkened with that, desperate to get Will close again. “I have an idea, but Will Graham’s punishments might be different…”

“Might be,” Will breathed out, then drew in a sharp breath, also wanting the freedom to feast on one another, limitlessly. “We’ll have to see when you get out of here, won't we?”

“Yeah, beautiful, we will,” Nigel agreed, a promise on his lips as he pressed them into Will’s once more.

“Nigel…” Will murmured and sucked Nigel’s lower lip between his teeth, worrying the plump flesh there.

In Nigel’s mind he was already in love, already making plans to have Will be his and only his. He knew it was too soon to really admit those feelings, but Nigel felt them strongly either way. He latched his teeth on to Will’s upper lip, licking at the roof of his mouth. Will grasped Nigel’s face and groaned, licking all inside the Romanian's mouth, eager to taste all of him. He was attached, already, addicted and feelings were growing more by the day.

“Perfect Will,” Nigel crooned, gripping the younger man’s shoulder with his free hand, wanting nothing more than to ravage every inch of him.

“You are,” Will groaned, leaning half over Nigel again, wanting nothing more than to get in his lap and _feel_ him. Alas, that wasn't to be for the moment. The empath sucked Nigel’s tongue and pulled back to catch his breath. “God…”

Nigel dropped his hand to Will’s waist and palmed down the front of his tight jeans, once, hooking a finger into the belt loops to hold him there. “Mark my words, Will, I’m going to have you moaning my name before long, all night long.”

“I don't doubt that one bit,” Will whispered, palming down Nigel’s chest, under his shirt to feel him in anyway he could for now. He met the Romanian’s eyes and held it, not speaking just feeling that spark between them.

“You make dealing with these doctors and nurses worth every fucking prod and poke,” Nigel whispered, never letting their eyes part, wanting Will to feel his intensity through the connection they’d made here.

“Prodding and poking can have its advantages,” Will smirked, grinning slightly as he peered at Nigel with dilated eyes. He felt the connection, in its entirety and it was unlike anything he'd been privy to before.

“Only from you, nurse Will,” Nigel murmured, grasping Will closer. “I'd let you poke and prod as much as you want.”

“I may…” Will began, his hand inching up Nigel’s thigh just so, “ _hold_ you to that.”

“You better, gorgeous,” Nigel whispered, tugging Will closer even still, their lips just barely touching.

“I can't seem to resist you,” Will growled, squeezing Nigel's thigh, possessively. He leaned in to bite at his lips and under his jaw.

“I don’t want you to either,” Nigel growled back, “imagine how hard this will be when I’m all cleaned up.”

“Very hard, I imagine,” Will said, lowly and kissed down Nigel’s jaw, to his neck. He was hard and panting.

“So hard,” Nigel whispered roughly, pulling Will back in over his lap once more. “I can’t keep my hands off you.”

“Then don't,” Will groaned, grinding down against Nigel’s bulge. Not much could be done really but this was more than Will has participated in since Margot and far better.

Nigel slipped his hand up Will’s shirt, touching that creamy smooth skin, careful of his belly, touching above that and over his chest, palms rubbing rouch over his nipples. “Was going to suggest the same.”

Will in turn, went up Nigel’s shirt, feeling the fur trail above his navel, up to the broad patch covering his chest. His breath hitched as he was touched like that, his cock throbbing and twitching. Long fingers felt the scar on the Romanian’s side and traced it, reverently. “You'll have to tell me how that happened sometime.”

“Not that exciting,” Nigel insisted, lips and teeth over Will’s jaw, tasting every piece of him he could manage to get any part of himself to touch or taste.

“Wasn't it though?” Will murmured, deeply, rolling Nigel’s nipple between forefinger and thumb as he breathed by his ear, suckling it. “The rush of power, up to that moment?”

“You got a power kink, Will?” Nigel asked, gasping, groaning when he was touched in ways no had ever bothered to before.

Will laughed, rough and seductive at that and pinched a little harder on the hardened nub as he licked up Nigel’s throat. “Haven't heard it put like that before…”

“Kinks are nice,” Nigel purred, and held Will over his hard cock under his sweats, worked up and flushed.

“Yeah,” Will groaned, feeling Nigel’s cock beneath his ass. He rolled his hips down again, and kissed him. “Maybe we should go to your room…”

“No fucking privacy there either,” Nigel said, but preferred it in there from out here, where it was more than hard to find a comfortable position.

“Least there's the privacy curtain, and they have to knock before entering,” Will whispered and kissed him once more before getting up. He pushed down his erection, adjusting himself and noting that no one had seen so far, thankfully.

“Got a point, gorgeous,” Nigel murmured, getting to his feet and trying to adjust his own erection down again. “Grab the trash and the smokes,” he said, and then reached out for Will’s hand.

Nodding, Will did exactly and placed the trash into the bag, putting the cigarettes in his pocket before taking Nigel’s hand. Once he was ready, he began walking with him back inside. “Surprised they didn't come out before.”

Nigel had his other hand on the IV pole, moving slow enough to avoid furthering his arousal until they were back inside. The nurses seemed happy enough to get Nigel back in without a fuss, so they said nothing when they went in alone. Will tossed the bag and set the cigarettes and lighter under a napkin on Nigel’s table so he could do put it where he wanted. He closed the door and then drew the curtain, standing against the wall to see if he was going to get in bed or what was most comfortable for the Romanian.

“How’s that belly of yours, sweetheart?” Nigel asked, sitting on the side of the bed, watching Will and his slightly apprehensive behavior. He motioned the younger man forward.

“It's fine. Maybe a little sore,” Will answered, walking over with a smile to stand in front of Nigel, between his legs. He placed his hands on his shoulders, gazing down at him.

Nigel held Will by the waist, thumbs inching up over his hips, under his shirt he’d untucked before. “Good. We’ll be careful. Nothing crazy.”

“Good idea,” Will agreed, his tone deep and quiet as he unbuttoned his shirt and left it open so Nigel could feel anything he wanted.

Nigel was unfortunately trapped in his hospital gown since he was connected to an IV. That was fine, as long as he got to touch Will. He ran his hands up Will’s sides, over his shoulder, thumbing the bullet scar. “Someone shot you?”

“Jack,” Will answered, rubbing over Nigel's shoulders, under the sleeves of his shirt to feel out his muscles there. It felt so perfect, having the Romanian’s hands on him like this; it was like pleasurable fire burning his skin.

“Your boss shot you?” Nigel’s eyes went grim, but he pulled Will closer, holding him between his legs, feeling out all the planes of muscle and skin, like he wanted to memorize them and commit them to memory.

“To protect Doctor Lecter,” Will explained, and then leaned down to kiss into Nigel’s mouth. He was hard again, his heart thudding in his ears as he was explored.

“That’s two people now I gotta kill?” Nigel whispered, undoing Will’s jeans and skimming the rim of his boxers with his fingers, teasing.

“Maybe,” Will breathed, watching Nigel’s fingers as his hips canted forward and pressed his leg against the other man’s groin.

Nigel dipped his hand inside Will’s boxers and held his length in his hand, slowly started to stroke, root to tip. “Don’t tempt me, gorgeous, you know I will.” He leaned up and pulled Will down with his free hand, kissing him slowly.

Will groaned at that, his eyes blown black with lust as he gripped Nigel’s bicep to steady himself. He slowly rutted into his hand, enjoying the roughness against the silky skin of his cock. “I know. Fuck, Nigel…”

“Relax, sweetheart,” Nigel crooned against Will’s mouth, and then bit to his ear, sucking gently on the velvety lobe. “Give over to the pleasure.” He worked his hand faster over Will’s cock, wanting to hear him, to feel him. It’s all that mattered.

Breath coming out in shaky bursts, Will held fast to Nigel, his hips writhing back and forth as chest heaved. “Like that,” he moaned, turning his face to licking into Nigel’s mouth again, tasting his tongue, teeth and palate. “Don't stop-”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Nigel whispered against Will’s mouth, and stroked faster, thumbing the tip of his cock with each pass.

Vision whiting out, Will’s muscles tensed, pleasure burning through his veins like liquid fire. His breathing picked up, a faster tempo as he moaned into Nigel’s mouth and began to shake with the promise of spilling all too soon. “Shit, I'm gonna-”

“Do it,” Nigel purred, biting Will’s lips, edging him over the cliff as he flicked his wrist up and down his shaft. “C’mon beautiful.”

Will came then, hot ropes of come spilling out and over Nigel’s hand, as he kissed him roughly, squeezing his arms. “Fuck-!”

Nigel milked all of the come from Will’s cock and then licked it slowly off his fingers, groaning at the taste. “Fuck, darling, you taste amazing.”

Still catching his breath, skin flushed, Will licked his flavor from Nigel’s mouth with a deep groan. “Do I?” he whispered, and slipped his fingers under the Romanian’s waistband. “Your turn…”

“You don’t have to,” Nigel insisted, since Will had barely kissed a man let alone been with one.

Just a handjob shouldn't be that strange, Will thought, and he’d done that enough to himself to know how. He kissed Nigel again and held his face. “I won't force it, but I'd like to please you.”

“Alright,” Nigel said, not one say no to a hand job. He leaned back on both hands, hips jutted out just so, gown pulled up a bit over his hips, giving Will all the room he required. Nigel would be lying if he wasn’t fully excited to have Will’s hands on him in anyway possible, skin all but humming for it.

Will licked his lips and slipped his hand inside Nigel’s sweats, carefully grasping his cock. He sucked in a breath when he felt how large the Romanian was. Slowly, he began to stroke, pulling the foreskin back and moving along the shaft. “Oh fuck…” he murmured and leaned in to kiss him.

“That’s good,” Nigel groaned, one arm coming up to hold Will around the shoulders, socked toes curling at the sensation.

Twisting his wrist, Will slid up and down Nigel’s cock, thumbing over the tip at the top. His breath came out in lengthy intervals as he held eye contact with the Romanian. “Yeah? You like it?”

“I have a feeling I’d like anything you did, Will,” Nigel roughly answered, voice laden with sex, gruff and surly all at once. His head canted back, eyes half lidded, enjoying the pleasure of someone else’s hands on him.

Will growled at that, lowly and held the nape of Nigel’s neck with his free hand, licking down to suck his Adam's apple, steadily working his cock as slapping sounds were just barely audible in the room. “Good…”

Nigel hissed, low and needy, the sound resonated through his chest as he held Will just there, desperate to feel all his teeth, all his mouth, every bit of him on his skin. “Harder-” he gasped, losing every inhibition he had, hips jerking in time with Will’s persistent and perfectly calloused palm.

The ex-agent was happy to oblige and bit over to the side of Nigel’s neck, where he sunk his fangs in with a guttural groan and snapped flesh. As Will sucked the blood, he tightened his grip on the gruff man’s dick, looking up at him with crimson stained teeth bared. “Come-”

Nigel gripped Will’s head there and tensed up, roughly spurting against Will’s hand, gasping and groaning as his whole world seem to go bright white and then black all in a matter of seconds. “Fucking-”

“That's it, perfect…” Will whispered, throatily as his hand slowed, working Nigel through his release. He licked into his mouth to share the taste of copper before pulling his sticky hand back altogether. Curious, he licked a little spend from one finger, not minding the salty and somewhat bitter flavor there.

Nigel panted, watching Will up close, absolutely amazed by the younger man. “Look at you. A natural.”

Will chuckled, still catching his own breath and kissed Nigel once more before reaching for tissues for them both. He handed a couple to him and then used a few for himself to wipe up. “You bring out my untapped abilities.”

“Can’t wait to see what else you can do,” Nigel said as he bit his lip and then Will’s once, cleaning himself up. Heaven forbid the nurse see him with his junk out and come all over.

Will grinned at that and then cleaned himself up as well, tossing away the tissues for them both. He adjusted himself and then looked at the mark he’d made on the Romanian’s neck. “I’m sure there’s a lot more I don’t know, but i’m a fast learner.”

Laughing, Nigel touched his neck, shrugging. It’d make some interesting comments from the nurses later. “You are, we’re going to have a lot of fun, Will.”

“Yeah, we will,” Will agreed with another smile. It was warmer, as he sat down beside Nigel on the bed and took his hand to hold. “How’re you feeling?”

“Dizzy as fuck, if I'm being honest,” Nigel said, looking at Will, his vision doing that blurring thing again, unfocused.

“Lay down,” Will said, firmly but not unkindly. He stood to help him lay back down in bed. “Probably shouldn't have done what we did.”

Laying back, Nigel waved off Will’s comment, and looked up at him, fondly. “I’m fine, blue eyes. It’s bound to happen now and again.”

Will rolled his eyes and then smiled, handing Nigel the pain and call button, gently adjusting his pillows. He sat back down and placed his hand over his heart. “Stubborn…”

“No, realistic,” Nigel said, setting both items down, he didn’t want them, he wanted to be able to get out of his without a fucking addiction. He could do it.

Will nodded and took Nigel’s hand, looking at him. He just wanted him out and well, no issues. “I'll go see Alana in a bit. Is there...anything else you need?””

“Besides you? No,” Nigel said, aware Will had put the cigarettes down close, but he’d be good and hide them for later.

“You have me,” Will said, and squeezed Nigel’s scarred hand, rubbing his thumb over the veins. He knew the whiskey and cigarettes weren't the best for him, but hoped the nicotine would offer him some comfort.

“Yeah?” Nigel smiled at that, not sure what it was they were, all he knew was he wanted more of Will, already addicted.

Will wasn't entirely sure either, but he knew he didn't want Nigel to be with anyone else. He smiled and brought his hand to his mouth, rubbing his lips over his knuckles. “Yes.”

“Go on, I’m not going anywhere,” Nigel teased, flipping his hand open to touch Will’s scruffy face. “Promise.”

Turning and smirking into Nigel’s palm, Will got up and tucked in his shirt, buttoning it up. He leaned down and kissed him once more before pulling the curtain back to where it was. “I'll be back for dinner.”

“I’ll look forward to it,” Nigel replied, watching Will go, mostly his ass.


	4. Chapter 4

Will went to see Alana, and visited for a few minutes. It was hard seeing her that way, her body surrounded by metal and bandaged. She was lucky though, despite it all; she'd survived Hannibal Lecter, they both had--Jack included. If only Abigail had been so fortunate.

A bit rattled, Will went home, fed and let the dogs out, then showered. He cooked dinner for he and Nigel, nothing fancy, just a simple gumbo that he hoped the Romanian would like. When the sun began to set, he headed back out, no whiskey this time and got into his beat up car.

After parking, he made his way up to Nigel’s room, the nurses giving him a knowing look, which Will ignored and looked ahead instead. He clutched the bag off food, and peeked into the room. “Hey, Nigel?”

“Hey,” Nigel said, one arm flung over his eyes, the room was drawn dark like they were trying to keep the light out.

Will walked in and shut the door behind him, setting the bag on the little tray. “Do you like it this dark?” he asked, knowing it could be a matter of sensitivity but he also thought the view might offer some comfort. Stepping closer, he leaned down to kiss Nigel in greeting. “I can open it, while we eat dinner, if you want?”

“It was bright, is all,” Nigel said, not wanting to worry Will. “Sun’s gone down a bit, hm?”

“Yeah, it has,” Will said, knowing better honestly but he wouldn't push. He'd spoken to the doctor a little already. “I hope you like gumbo.”

“Then open it up,” Nigel said, pushing covers off himself, now just in his gown as his pants had gotten a little messy from their tromp together earlier. “Gumbo?”

Will nodded and went to open the curtains, slowly, watching Nigel’s response to the dim light. “Yes, rice, sausage, shrimp. It's a staple where I'm from.”

“Southern?” Nigel asked, slipping off the bed, the dim light better than the bright had been. The doctors’ said it was normal, it might pass or it might be something he learned to deal with, and wear sunglasses a lot.

“Yes, Creole,” Will said and pulled the two Tupperware bowls from the bag, along with waters and silverware. “New Orleans, specifically.”

“Nothing fun this time, sweetheart?” Nigel asked, mostly teasing, as he took a spot at the table.

“I think you've had enough fun today, don't you?” Will joked, partly serious as he raised a brow at Nigel and sat down.

Nigel spread his thighs, bare under the gown, leaning back in the chair. “Maybe.” He gestured his head. “This is just a minor set back, you know.”

Will rubbed his scruffy jaw, trying not to pay attention to the way Nigel was sitting and put a fork in both their bowls. “You're strong. You'll overcome this,” he said, though he was worried for his...beau?

“That’s what I just said,” Nigel hummed, leaning forward to sniff the food with a pleased sounding groan. “You made this?”

“I was agreeing with you,” Will pointed out and then let it go, nodding. “Yeah, I did. I don't cook much but I love a good gumbo.”

Nigel leaned over to try a bite and then moaned a little at the taste. “I’ll eat this all the time if you make it all the time,” he teased, winking at Will.

Will laughed at that, roughly, and took a bite. It was good, one of the things he could do best as far as cooking went. “I'll keep that in mind.”

“I can only cook a little,” Nigel murmured around another spoonful, hungrier than he’d ever felt in his life, but they said that was from his body trying to heal.

“What can you cook?” Will asked, canting his head after taking a sip of the water. He took another bite and watched Nigel, looking from lips to eyes, musing how he really enjoyed this--though being at his place would make it better.

“Steak,” Nigel laughed. “I don’t cook much, take out is easier. He laughed and shoveled in more food and then opened one of the bottles of water to wash it down. “Wow, little spicy. I like it.”

Will did the same, hungry as well from all the running around, though he didn't mind if it meant seeing Nigel. He used his free hand to brush a curl from his brow and smiled. “It's much easier,” he agreed, swallowing a few chugs of water. “Spicy is the best way to make it.”

Laughing, Nigel sat back, letting it all digest before he went in for more. “Thanks for bringing dinner, blue eyes.”

Looking up into Nigel’s eyes, Will tipped his water bottle towards him in thanks, his cheeks heating up at the affection. “You're welcome, Nigel.”

“I’m gonna make it up to you when I’m out of here. Anything you want, you’ll have it,” Nigel insisted, sipping on some water, doing everything the nurses and doctors said he had to do to get better. He had incentive now.

“Thanks,” Will said, quietly, appreciatively, though all he wanted was Nigel, his dogs and the quiet of his stream. He took a few more bites and wiped his mouth. “But you don't owe me anything.”

“I don’t, but I still want to,” Nigel pointed out, watching will carefully, his focus and gaze pinned on him like a hawk.

Will hummed at that and took a swig of water, his plush pink lips wrapping around the rim with unintentional allure. He swallowed, adam’s apple bobbing and set it back on the table, leaning forward on his strong, corded forearms. “S’long as it's something you want...”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Nigel asked, head canted toward Will as dinner settled, his mouth only slightly on fire from the spice, but he liked the burn.

Will shrugged, not mentioning how he wasn't used to people doing something nice for him without expectation. It was something he'd come not to hope for some early on. “Anymore tests planned soon?”

“Some kind of scan tomorrow to be sure they didn’t miss anything,” Nigel said, leaning over for another bite, taking his time, as he didn’t want their dinner date to end too soon.

Finished with his, Will nodded and drank more water, closing up the Tupperware container. “I'll be here when you come out,” he said, reaching over to rub Nigel’s hand, love gleaming in his worry riddled eyes. “If you don't mind?”

“Why would I mind, darling?” Nigel asked, more than happy to have the worry and love of someone like Will. It was nice to be wanted, to have someone who cared if he was shot or cut open or not.

“Just making sure,” Will smiled, giving Nigel’s hand a squeeze before he let go to take up his water instead. He was falling in love; it was simultaneously beautiful and terrifying.

Nigel was plunging in head first, as he always did. Will was his anchor, his life jacket out in the ocean of unknown where he was floating right now, and just like Gabi had saved him, Will had done the same where Nigel might have given up. “Nothing concerning you is anything I’d mind.”

Will looked down at that, continuing to smile before tipping his head back up. He could feel the love seeping out of every pore Nigel had and it was overwhelming-- though not in a bad way. “You say that now…” he teased, using humor as he often did.

“Once I set my mind on something, I don’t give up on it Will. Trust me, you might be sick of me before this whole thing blows over,” Nigel replied, sighing. He knew how he could be, how people tended to find his obsessive and romantic nature a turn off.

“I know your nature,” Will pointed out, to offer reassurance there. He wasn't one to give up either really, and he already knew love drove Nigel insane; Will was confident he could manage the beast of a man. “And I'm still here.”

“For now,” Nigel pointed out. “You asked me to come stay with you. I might change your mind after that.”

“I've been around a lot of different types of people, Nigel,” Will offered, having stuck around Hannibal. He had been contemplating going after him, to kill or join him, he couldn't say, but that was changing. It had changed.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Hannibal,” Nigel said, leaning over to shovel another spoonful in his mouth, as if keeping himself from saying anything else about it.

“Among others,” Will said, leaning back in his chair. He knew Hannibal had become or would be, a sore topic, so he decided to nip that in bud. “I wanted to run away with him. But...I don't now, not since meeting you.”

“Running from one bad seed or another, Will,” Nigel said, seriously. He was a dangerous man, he might not eat people, but he could be just as ruthless. “But I’ll gladly take you.”

“Lets just see you out of here first,” Will offered, with a sigh at the first thing Nigel had said. He knew they were both--all three really--dangerous.

“Don't worry about that. I'll be out in no time,” Nigel said, smirking at Will as he let their legs tangle together under the table.

“I'm sure you will,” Will hummed, enjoying the feel of Nigel’s legs against his own, the heat radiating through his pants.

“You taken care of those stitches okay? Not going to need to worry about busting you open when I get?” Nigel asked, teasing softly as he pushed the bowl of gumbo aside, stuffed.

“I am,” Will laughed, quietly, rubbing over the fabric that covered his healing mark. He put both containers in the bag and tied it up, a few curls falling into his eyes. “Wouldn't want that, would we?”

“I’d rather you be paralyzed for other reasons,” Nigel grinned, blinking once, his vision blurring again in one eye, and wondering slightly if he’d lose sight all together. No, he was worrying too much.

“I have no doubts that I will be,” Will replied, deeply and then watched Nigel, rubbing the back of his neck. “Maybe we should forgo the cigarette and get you in to bed.”

“Are you calling me old?” Nigel asked, narrowing his gaze, hardly upset. “Put me to bed, go out and party…”

“I don't party,” Will said with a playful eye roll and then got up to walk over behind Nigel. He leaned over and kissed his neck, up to his ears. “Not old, yet.”

“Yet?” Nigel turned his head slightly, carefully, looking up at Will, latching on to his hand with his own, holding his calloused one in his own hot one.

“None of us escape time,” Will explained and moved to the side so Nigel wouldn't have to strain his neck to see him. “But you're stalling. Bed.”

“I’m going, beautiful,” Nigel said, touching Will’s face with one hand, and then pushed up off the chair, almost indecently, the back of his gown open as he shuffled over, bare assed.

Will let himself indulge, his eyes roving over the curve of Nigel’s muscular ass as he followed behind him, with a near predatory gait. He offered an arm instead, to help him in, if he needed it. “Can’t have you catching a cold…”

Nigel laughed, hearty and loose, a smoker’s cough. “A cold? Least of my worries, gorgeous.” He got into the bed, fixing his gown as he did. “Were you looking at my ass?”

Licking his lips, Will sat down next to Nigel, body angled towards his. He neared his mouth and kissed him, once and sat back up, grinning. “Yes...”

“Like what you see?” Nigel grinned, grasping a fistful of Will’s flannel shirt to pull him back down for another kiss.

Will bit at Nigel’s mouth, and cupped his face, thumbing over his cheekbones as he gazed at him up close. “Very much…”

“That all you like?” Nigel asked, his amber gaze lust blown and bright all at once.

“No,” Will answered, his voice deep and rough as he gently traced Nigel’s jawline with his blunt nail. “I like all of you.”

“I fucking hope so. I’m addicted to you, blue eyes. I don’t know that I would go on without you,” Nigel whispered, against Will’s mouth.

“Neither one of us would survive separation,” Will murmured, and closed the gap fully, kissing the Romanian as he inhaled the scent of musk and cigarettes--something distinctly Nigel, despite the hospital cleanliness.

Nigel pulled Will down over him, not caring if anyone saw, he was stuck here, he’d get his jollies off anyway he saw fit. “Sure wouldn’t, gorgeous.”

“You're insatiable,” Will groaned, a grin in his tone as he let Nigel maneuver him. He didn't resist, didn't want to; this was the most happiness he'd had in years or ever.

Pulling Will carefully over his lap, Nigel’s gown rode up a little more, kissing Will fervently. “Good.”

Will was on fire all over again as he let his weigh rest on his legs, pressing into the mattress, kissing him back with equal passion. “I just can't say no to you.”

“I’d hate it if you did,” Nigel whispered, tugging Will’s bottom lip through his teeth, flesh pinched there.

The pupils of Will’s eyes expanded at that, spreading across multifaceted hues and he in turn tugged on Nigel’s top lip, bracing himself with well muscled arms. “You don't seem the type to like that word anyways,” he drawled, breathlessly.

“No?” Nigel chuckled darkly. Most people who told him ‘no’ ended up in a body bag or at the bottom of the ocean. “You’d never do that.”

“Can’t guarantee I won’t ever say it, but it wouldn’t be without good reason,” Will rumbled and licked back into Nigel’s mouth again. “And it won’t be because of this.”

“You’re too good to me,” Nigel murmured and sucked on Will’s tongue, hands sliding down that pert, perfect ass of Will’s, holding him against his nearly bare hips.

Will rolled his hips down, muscles flexing as he did and nipped at Nigel’s lips, cock hard through his jeans. “Just like you are to me,” he whispered, roughly and took a breath. “However, I don’t want to make you dizzy again, Nigel.”

“I’m laying down in bed,” Nigel groaned, hand slipping down toward Will’s fly, slowly, daring the younger man to stop him.

The younger man gripped Nigel’s wrists and pressed them above his head, growling as he pinned them there and licked up his neck, laying over him fully. “See?” he all but hissed, seductively, over his skin, biting up to his lips. “What misbehaving will get you?”

Fangs out with a smile that spread dark over his features, Nigel gazed up at Will, letting him overpower him for now. “Look at you…”

Will grinned at that, almost appearing wolf-like as he snapped his hips down into Nigel, still making sure not to be too rough for the moment. “Look at _you_ …”

Gasping, Nigel rolled his hips up, gown pushed up over his hips between, groaning with the sweet friction. “Will-”

Letting go of Nigel’s wrists, Will shimmied down his body, stopping above the Romanian’s groin. He nosed in the thicket of hair, to his shaft, where he peered up at with stormy blue eyes. “Gonna make sure you remember who you _belong_ to,” he said, his voice a quiet thunder. He’d never done this before, but he couldn’t resist the lure, so he ran a long stripe up Nigel’s shaft. “Mm.”

“Christ,” Nigel managed under his breath, hands going to Will’s curls, tugging gently with encouragement, toes curling slightly with anticipation. “Definitely going to remember…”

“Good,” Will murmured, sucking up the side of Nigel’s cock, and down to his large, furry balls which he took into his mouth, one by one, really getting to know his flavor.

“Sure you’ve never done this before?” Nigel asked, well aware of how new Will was to all of this, only wanted to ease him into everything, but Will seemed to be doing just fine.

Will had received blow jobs, knew how it went, but was still cautious. He was surprised to not find it anything other than appealing. Moving back up, he wrapped his hand around the base of Nigel’s cock. “Positive,” he whispered and then after he pulled the skin back from the gleaming tip, took it between his lips to suckle, gently, testing.

“Darling-” Nigel groaned once more, thick, crooked fingers in Will’s curls as his eyes closed for a moment to savor the moment.

Keeping his eyes on Nigel, delighting in his pleasure, Will took more if him into his mouth, going back and forth a few inches at a time as his confidence built. He hummed, low and throaty, breathing through his nose.

“Good at that-” Nigel managed, hips arching just enough to get his cock further into Will’s mouth.

Will groaned at that, opening his throat as he took Nigel the rest of the way down, to the root with hollowed cheeks. Using his free hand, he rolled the Romanian’s balls, his own cock leaking from the tip as his hips rutted slowly against the mattress.

“Fuck, look at you,” Nigel groaned, wanting nothing more than to shove his dick into his ass and fuck him senseless. “You're hard aren't you?”

Popping off, Will caught his breath, a long line of saliva connecting from lips to tip, briefly. He looked positively debauched with his red, swollen lips, lust blown eyes and messy hair, complete with a rosy glow. “Very hard,” he said huskily, rough and then swallowed Nigel back down, going faster.

“I return favors,” Nigel mentioned, his cock twitching at the sight of Will looking at him like that, heat pooling in his belly.

Will responded with a throaty growl and cupped his tongue around the shaft of Nigel’s cock, taking him in an out of his mouth, over and over, insisting that he could through wordless actions. Nigel held tighter to Will’s curls, low pants leaving his lips as he came undone, pressing hips up into Will’s mouth.

Nearly gagging at first, Will powered through, not minding the taste but it was very new. He swallowed it all down, his throat strangling Nigel’s cock as he groaned.

“Fucking beautiful,” Nigel murmured, tugging Will’s hair to pull him right off, to see his vivid blue eyes.

Will licked his lips, and then went up Nigel’s body, kissing his way along as his eyes never strayed from the Romanian’s. “Delectable.”

“God, who knew you’d be so dirty?” Nigel commented, roughly, pulling Will into a kiss to taste himself on his lips.

The empath huffed a laugh at that, over Nigel’s lips and then kissed him again before leaning back to gaze at him up close. “You thought I was a prude?”

“Never,” Nigel laughed, holding Will closer. “What can I do for you?”

“Just knowing I pleased you is enough,” Will said with a smile and laid beside him on the bed, kicking his boots off onto the floor with a thud. He curled against Nigel, another new experience really, just being held like this.

Nigel wrapped his arm around Will’s shoulders, holding him there, secure, safe, wanted. “You sure? I’m keeping count, gorgeous. When I’m out, you aren’t leaving the bed.”

Will wanted Nigel to get well, first and foremost; he knew they had time for the rest later. Nuzzling into his chest, he nodded, taking in the gruff man’s scent. “I'm sure, and you can keep me in bed as long as you want once we get home.”

“Perfect. Better call in to work sick,” Nigel grinned, whispering the words into the top of Will’s head, against his curly hair.

“Playing hooky with you sounds better than any job,” Will grinned, though he wasn't the type to do that. He rubbed his rough hands over Nigel’s abdomen, feeling the fur and muscle.

Nigel all but purred at Will touching him, especially under the gown, like he couldn’t get enough. “Working for the FBI doesn’t sound like much fun anyway.”

Will couldn't get enough, he’d never felt such hunger for another, not Alana or even the good doctor. “Oh it was a barrel of laughs,” he joked and leaned his head up to kiss under Nigel’s jaw.

“Got you that smile, right?” Nigel teased lightly and held Will a little closer.

“That and other things,” Will said with a sigh, hooking his leg over Nigel’s. He met his eyes and placed his hand over the Romanian’s heart. “A smile that landed me here, and turned to...love…”

“Love, huh?” Nigel’s smile broadened, watching Will with his predatory amber eyes, which lightened at the thought.

“Yes,” Will said quietly, smiling when he saw the one on Nigel’s face. He was hooked, reeled in by the Romanian.

“Glad to hear it, Will,” Nigel whispered, fingers angling Will’s face toward his own, fingertips on his chin. He leaned in and kissed Will softly.

Will didn't mind that Nigel didn't offer anything back, he wasn't one of many words either really. He just hummed and kissed him back before resting his face back on his chest. “Good because I do love you, Nigel…”

Nigel rumbled against Will’s mouth and kissed him thoroughly before replying with, “I love you, Will,” and sealing it once more with another press of their lips together.

Kissing him back, Will leaned over him, slowly and thoroughly tasting Nigel to savor him like a fine glass of whiskey. His heart felt full, as it beat in his chest and he only hoped this wouldn't be taken away from him, like everything else.

“Will,” Nigel whispered, capturing his lip between his teeth, holding him as close as he could manage to get him. This was all he ever hoped to have with Gabi, but was too glad that his life had lead him here.

“Nigel,” Will whispered back, breathing him in as their bodies seemingly melded into one. They were conjoined in ways he'd not thought was possible.

A knock at the door came and the nurse cleared her throat. “Just checking to see if you needed anything, how’s the pain?”

Nigel gave Will a look, not caring if he was covered or not, and then looked at the nurse. “My pain relief is right here. I’m fine.”

Will quickly covered Nigel anyways, his face pinking at the intrusion as he kept his eyes on his boyfriend. “Thanks, we’re fine,” he said.

The nurse showed herself out after taking some vitals, and Nigel laughed. “I don’t think she knew what to do with us…”

“It's probably means I should get out of bed,” Will laughed with Nigel, rubbing his jaw. “I suspect one or both of us will be scolded for it.”

“Who cares? You’re here making me feel better, nurse Will,” Nigel teased, a low crooning sound as he held Will in place and kissed him again.

Will leaned into the kiss and held Nigel’s face, thumbing over his alpine cheekbones. “We’re both making each other feel better,” he pointed out with a smile, though he knew he'd have to go soon to check on the dogs and shower.

Nigel wanted to never let go of Will, hold on to him forever, keep him there. “We are. You’re right.”

“Wish I could take you home with me,” Will admitted with a little yawn, settling back into Nigel’s possessive arms if only a little while longer before heading out.

“Soon, baby, I promise. I’m working on it,” Nigel said with a soft smile. He caressed Will’s stubbled cheek. “You’re tired.”

“By working on it, you don't mean sneaking out before you're better, do you?” Will teased and leaned into the touch, completely comfortable with it all the way Nigel showed affection. “I am, but I'll be alright. You just be worn out.”

“I’m fine,” Nigel insisted, having done nothing but sat around most of the day, when he wasn’t being jerked off or blown by his… beau. “But you got others to worry about. I’ll be here. Promise.”

Will nodded and kissed Nigel once more before climbing out of bed. He squeezed the Romanian’s hand and looked at him. “Alright,” he smiled and let go. “I'll be back in the morning, waiting when you come back from the test. Call if you need me and get some rest. I love you.”

Watching at Will put his shoes on, Nigel swallowed hard, the sentiment still burning through his heart like a freshly lit match. “Love you, too, Will.”

Looking up after tying his shoes, Will met Nigel’s eyes once more as he grabbed the bag. He walked over and gently kissed his cheekbone, “G’night.”

“Night, gorgeous,” Nigel grinned,, squeezing one hand around Will’s waist and then let go.

With a final smile, Will walked out, heading towards the elevators to go home and feed the dogs.


	5. Chapter 5

Just before his scan, a big African American man walked into Nigel’s room, dressed in business attire with a scowl that suggested he could only be Crawford as Will described him. Nigel narrowed his gaze on the man, not at all intimidated, but curious just the same. Nigel had dealt with the law a lot, though back home they rarely bothered him. He sat up, the nurses having given him scrubs for the day to wear and be more comfortable.

“Who the fuck are you?” Nigel asked.

“Jack Crawford, FBI,” Crawford answered, likewise it seemed he wasn’t half as intimidated as Nigel wanted him to be.

“I was wondering when you’d get around to seeing about me,” Nigel said, light eyes kept on Jack the whole time, two predators circling, ready to strike at any moment.

“Yes, well, here I am.” Crawford approached, one hand in his pocket, gussied up with his gun even, which only made Nigel chuckle to himself that he thought him to be _that_ much of threat.

“And?”

“And I thought I’d explain a few things and how this is going to work.” Crawford paused long enough to be sure Nigel was paying attention. “So, we had brought over to get the care you needed, specialized, in hopes you’d be able to do us a solid back.”

“That’s a lot of hoping,” Nigel remarked, aware that Crawford was trying to come down to his level, which admirable, but not needed; Nigel wasn’t as stupid thug as most would think. He acted with his heart a lot, true, but he didn’t always wear it so far down on his sleeve.

“It is, it is. That’s true,” Crawford nodded, taking a few steps, pacing the end of Nigel’s bed. “I’m sure Will has mentioned to you about the rise of the Romanian gangs in the States, lots of East Coast action, midwest…”

“He has.”

“Good. So what we want is anything you might know. In exchange for that, you’ll be given a visa to be here, get a job, whatever you want while you heal up and continue to get your specialized care.”

Surprised, Nigel only stared at Crawford for a moment, letting that sink in. “I don’t know as much as you think, but what I do know, is that you want a man named Darko. He runs clubs, usually strip joints, or something like that, makes it look legal in the front while he washes the money through.”

“Darko,” Crawford repeated the name back, nodding his head. “That’s a start.”

“That’s all I have.”

“No… contact with him?”

“Not yet. If you want me to, I can.” Nigel wanted out, he wanted to be with Will and move on from this, away from Darko, but if it meant speeding this up, he’d bite.

“Alright, alright…” Crawford was considering it, Nigel saw the look on his face, the way the wheels turned.

Good.

“Take it or leave it.”

“I’ll take it.” Crawford stepped closer then, but a nurse interrupted with knock.

“Sorry, we need to take him for his scan now.”

“That’s alright. I’ve got what I need. Thank you, Mr. Ursu.”

“My pleasure,” Nigel murmured and Crawford tipped his hat toward him and left.

***

Will had called the hospital to find out the time of Nigel’s test and was already waiting in his room for when he'd be back. He'd caught a glimpse of Jack but the agent seemed to be in a big rush so no conversation was had other than a hello.

The empath had breakfast waiting, and coffee as he sat in the chair.

Nigel was wheeled back in, the light pair of scrubs he wore making his tan seem even darker than it was, his hair even more silvery. He waved the nurse off as he got out of the chair and sauntered over to sit with Will.

“Hey Gorgeous.”

Will leaned over and kissed Nigel’s lips twice, before sitting back. He offered his beau a coffee. “Hey, morning,” he said with a smile and then canted his head. “They say anything or will it be a while yet?”

 

“They’re going over it, but I don’t think it was bad. I laid real still,” Nigel laughed, and took the coffee with a smile. He hummed at his first sip. “Better than the shit they make here. Thank you, darling.”

“You're welcome,” Will said, grinning around his small thermos and then began setting out the eggs, bacon and toast he'd brought. “Good. Also, I assume Jack came to talk to you? Saw him on my way in.”

“Yeah. He’s gonna let me go, with careful watch I assume, for information on Darko and possibly getting in contact with him,” Nigel explained, watching Will set out the food that was far more appetizing than the stuff the hospital made him eat.

With a nod, Will placed some plastic cutlery on front of Nigel then opened the containers, taking his fork in hand. “Good,” he said, a small sigh of relief slipping out with the word as he took a bite of his eggs. After swallowing, he sipped more coffee. “Now we just need to find out when they'll release you from here. Test should tell enough for that.”

“No headache since last night, that’s pretty telling,” Nigel said, taking his own fork and stabbing at the eggs to shovel into his mouth.

“It is, I'm glad,” Will hummed and then popped a piece of bacon into his mouth, all but groaning at the taste. He wiped his mouth and swallowed more coffee. “So maybe soon I can take you home.”

“I’d like that,” Nigel said, sure that whatever was wrong in his head would go away, at least all the physical ailments.

“All we have to do is wait on the results,” Will said and took a few more bites of his eggs. He was excited at the thought of getting to be with Nigel outside of the confines of this hospital.

“You’ll have to bring me something else to wear, I’m not going out in these clothes,” Nigel said, picking at the shirt he wore, light against his skin. He took up the mug of coffee and tipped it passed his lips, sighing.

“They’ll be tight but I'll bring something,” Will assured and took the last bite of his breakfast, downing the rest of his coffee.

“I’ll wear these out if I must,” Nigel chuckled, eyeing Will with a dark gaze, chewing on some bacon as he took his time over the meal provided to him by his beau.

“I’ll bring you something. I have something that’ll work,” Will laughed quietly and met Nigel’s eyes as he closed his container.

“Alright,” Nigel agreed, more than happy to just get out of here than worry about what he’d fucking wear. He shoved the last bit of egg into his mouth and then set the container aside.

“Cigarette?” Will asked, knowingly and put the containers away, reaching out to take Nigel’s hand once he had done so. He’d give him the shirt from his back if it meant his Romanian was getting out.

“Yeah,” Nigel smiled and let Will help him to his feet, shuffling from the room together, he’d pocketed the cigarettes and lighter on standing.

Once they were outside, Will lead them to a bench further away, right under the biggest shade tree and sat down, looking up at Nigel. “It's starting to get cooler.”

“A bit,” Nigel agreed and sat down with Will, lighting up a cigarette, taking a long drag. He hadn’t had but the one yesterday, and his body hummed with the inhale.

“Any more dizzy spells?” Will asked, wanting to make sure of that. He watched Nigel smoke the cigarette, enjoying it, and rubbed his jaw as he leaned back and canted his head towards him.

“Nah. All things considered, they said a few of those would be normal while it heals completely,” Nigel said, breathing the smoke out his nose, winking at Will.

The corners of Will’s lips lifted into a smile at the wink, thinking about how Nigel just seemed to ooze raw sexual energy. “True enough,” he said, clearing his throat and wishing he smoked, so he'd have something to busy his hands with. “And do you plan on going back into...business here?”

“That depends on how close your boss wants to follow me and for how long,” Nigel shrugged. “I have money put away, I wouldn’t be in the hole.”

“Oh he’ll follow closely,” Will said, a bit of bitterness towards Jack in his tone. Reaching over, he squeezed Nigel’s hand. “I have savings also.”

“I wouldn’t dream of not helping you out,” Nigel smiled, toothy and sharp, taking another drag as he squeezed Will’s hand. “We’ll live comfortably.”

“We will,” Will agreed and braced his arm around Nigel, letting it rest on the back of the bench there as his other hand continued to be held. It was nice, peaceful, almost like his home if he closed his eyes. Or maybe the man next to him was his home now.

“How many dogs did you say you had?” Nigel asked, careful not to blow smoke in Will’s face, and then smiled at him, softer than he usually gave most others.

Will appreciated it, he knew he was treated much better than Nigel likely did for others and it made his heart beat harder, faster. “Seven,” he answered, unashamedly. “For now.”

“Am I one of your strays, Will?” Nigel teased, lovingly, gazing at Will as though he were the last person left on earth, alone with him.

“A stray? No…” Will chuckled, giving Nigel a playful look as he pulled his lower lip through his teeth. “Though you do have an animalistic way about you.”

“Do I?” Nigel asked, snubbing out his cigarette in favor of pulling Will closer to him.

“We... _both_ do,” Will answered, rubbing Nigel’s stomach, up to his chest to feel the heat radiating of him.

“Damn right,” Nigel whispered back and angled his head to kiss Will slowly, fingers touching his jaw lightly.

Will moaned, softly and quietly into the kiss, his fingers resting over Nigel’s tattoo as he sucked his tongue, then his lips. Nigel made a noise like a growl right back, fingers splayed out over his jaw, slipping down passed his ears, holding him there as their tongues laved, lips parted, and teeth nipped at sensitive flesh.

“Nigel-” Will murmured, when they caught their breath and he pulled back to gaze at him. He threaded his fingers with his beau’s, wanting all of him badly but knew they needed to get back inside to wait on the test results too. “We should head back in…”

“Got to save some for when we get back to your place,” Nigel offered with a crooked, fanged grin.

“Yes,” Will breathed, the word deep and rough as leaned in to kiss Nigel once more before standing. He pressed down the front of his pants and offered his hand. “C’mon.”

Nigel took Will’s hand, not bothering to do anything about his own erection that showed through the light colored scrub pants. He leaned and kissed Will once more, and then kissed his knuckles.

Will looked down at Nigel’s erection and it took all his resolve not to press against him. The empath felt wanton for the Romanian, even if he'd never been fucked that way before. With a gentle tug, he began to lead his beau back inside. “We’ll take it slow, give you--us--time to...come down.”

Nigel moved in behind Will and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, hips pressed to his ass as they walked slowly, awkwardly, back. He grazed his teeth against Will’s neck, lightly. “You make me want to slow everything down and draw it all out just to get those pretty little sounds from you, Will.”

“Nigel…” Will whispered, roughly, as his neck was pleasured. It all just made his cock throb more in his jeans, as pressing back against Nigel when he passed by another tree and gripped it. “Fuck-”

“Eat those words from your mouth,” Nigel whispered back, growling the words into Will’s supple flesh, hooking his teeth into the mound of flesh at Will’s shoulder, over his shirt.

Will hooked his free hand behind himself, gently clutching to Nigel’s head, avoiding the wounded area as drew a breath and rubbed his ass against the Romanian's groin. “Want you, badly…”

“Want you, too, baby,” Nigel groaned, rutting his hips against Will, wanting nothing more than to take him right there, the need to do this _right_ was higher. “Not here though.”

“No, not here,” Will agreed, the hospital doors only feet away. He reluctantly let his arm down and turned around, kissing Nigel once. “Let’s go.”

This time Nigel pushed down his erection, trying to shake off the need to at least dry hump Will against the tree. He’d never shown such restraint in his life, but he was a romantic at heart, and taking Will in a proper bed was high on his list of wants. “Yeah…”

In they went and to Nigel’s room, fingers laced. Will walked his beau over to the bed and sat down, thick thighs spread there. “Maybe you'll be released today,” he said, his voice still thick with want. “Or maybe it's wishful thinking on my part,” he chuckled.

“Can’t hurt to have that,” Nigel nodded, rubbing his hands over Will’s thighs as he stood between them, gazing down at him, utterly and completely in love. “Need all the wishing and hoping we can get.”

Will placed his hands on Nigel’s waist, looking up at him as he nodded, slowly, the same enamored look in his nearly opaque hues. “We do…”

“I’ll have my own personal nurse Graham,” Nigel grinned, eyes alight with adoration for Will. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to leave the hospital yet, but Nigel had been taking care of himself for years after fights and shoot outs-- he could do it now.

“And a pack of dogs to keep you company,” Will added, chuckling a little. He was confident the hospital wouldn't release Nigel until he was given the all clear, but either way, he'd usher the Romanian back to health.

“Who could ask for more?” Nigel smiled and kissed Will softly. He did feel better, the wound was still worrisome, but that was normal enough for being shot in the head.

Will was more worried about an brain damage, or mental instability from the wound but the test results should speak to that. He hummed into the kiss and then slid his hands up Nigel’s scrub top, just to feel his skin beneath his fingers. “Exactly.”

Nigel moved to sit with Will on the bed, arm around his shoulders. “Everything is going to be work, darling.”

Leaning against Nigel, Will nodded and looked over at Nigel, kissing under his jaw, tenderly. “You're right,” he agreed, “I love you.”

Nigel smiled up close at Will, kissing his forehead. A doctor walked in with a tablet in hand, looking at it and then Nigel.

“Your scans are okay, everything is healing as we hoped, but we want to keep a close eye on you. This sort of trauma can have lasting effects. You're free to leave under supervision of the FBI, and the promise you come back once a week for more scans until everything is cleared up.”

“I'll make sure he comes back for the scans,” Will interjected and squeezed Nigel’s hand, looking at him before turning towards the doctor. “Is there any special care instructions we need to know about?”

“The nurses will print out a packet of information on wound care and when to come in for help if something is wrong,” the doctor said, looking at Nigel wrapped wound carefully. “You're lucky to be alive.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” Will said, speaking up for his beau, not that he needed to. The empath cleared his throat and smoothed down his pants. “He is.”

“Thanks, doc. I can go then?” Nigel asked, brow raised at the doctor as his fingers itched for another cigarette.

“Yes. We will get you some prescriptions filled and some directions, as well as all.the other directions you need.” The doctor nodded his head and then left.

“Just a few more minutes,” Will smiled and leaned over to kiss Nigel. “I guess you'll just have to leave in those scrubs, unless you want me to run home and back?”

“No, anytime away from you that isn’t needed is a waste,” Nigel said, smirking as he kissed Will softly, gripping his shirt possessively.

“Then that's settled,” Will whispered, his voice a rich timber as he kissed Nigel back, slowly. He could certainly feel the Romanian’s proverbial tentacles reaching out for him, winding around his body, refusing to let go.

“How far away is your place?” Nigel asked, after a moment of taking Will in, breathing him, and then settling since they could leave soon.

“A little over an hour from here,” Will answered, canting his head over towards Nigel, wetting his lips. He was ready to get home, get them both there.

A nurse came in with a bag of things for Nigel and set it on the bed. “Okay, so we have extra gauze and wrap for you, your medications and how to take them, how to clean and rewrap the room, and a pamphlet on how to know when to come back to emergency for care. Any questions?”

“No,” Will answered and then looked over at Nigel again, brows raised to see if he had any questions.

Nigel shrugged. “I keep telling all of you that I can take care of all this,” Nigel said, gesturing to himself.

Sighing, rolling her eyes, the nurse set the bag down. “Drive safe, Mister Ursu.” She showed herself out.

“Come on, let's go,” Will said, standing and taking the bag of materials. He would make sure Nigel got good care, whether he liked it or not. The curly haired man held out his hand with a little smirk on his handsome face.

Nigel smiled at his beau and took his offered hand, stepping close, and then in line with Will as they walked out. He knew this was hardly freedom, but as long as he was with Will, it would hardly matter. After they were in the car, bags in the back, Will started the engine and put on his seatbelt. He smiled over at Nigel and backed out.

Nigel only buckled in when Will did, and then pushed the radio on in his old car. He tuned the station to anything easy on the ears for the now. “This alright?”

“It's fine,” Will hummed and turned out of the garage, towards the road. He didn't mind the music and was happy with the company, most of all.

“Great,” Nigel said, resting back a little, watching Will drive more than anything else.

The drive was spent on pleasant silence, Will holding Nigel’s hand and listening to music. After a little over an hour, he pulled up into his driveway, dogs already barking from inside. The empath took off his seatbelt and looked over at Nigel, as if to gauge his reaction. Nigel was as laid back as someone like him could come. He grabbed the bag from the back and pushed the door open to get out. Will got out also, and took the other bag with the empty Tupperware containers in it and shut the door, walking up to the house. He unlocked and opened it, dogs swarming around their feet. They sniffed Nigel, curiously as Will laughed and petted them.

Nigel carefully squatted down to pet all of them and let them sniff. “Fuck, that’s a lot of dogs.”

“You were warned,” Will reminded and clicked his tongue for the pack to go and play. They did and he walked inside, pushing the door open further in invitation.

Nigel followed, putting the bag down on the chair by the door, taking everything in. “You sleep in the living room?”

“Lets me listen out for intruders,” Will explained, leaving the door open for the dogs. He set the other bag on the table and scratched his stomach, smiling faintly. “Make yourself at home.”

Nigel had never really lived with anyone other than Gabi, but he started by taking off the stupid slippers they gave him at the hospital and put them by the door, and then stretched, the shirt of the scrubs riding up over his belly.

“I'll get you something else to wear,” Will offered, walking over to his dresser and rummaging through it. It would be a new experience for him too, having someone in his space all the time.

“Thanks, gorgeous,” Nigel said, walking up behind Will, he wrapped his arms around him. “I don’t think any of that is going to fit well.”

Will grinned and then pulled out a pair of stretchy flannel pajama bottoms, and a white tank top. He offered it over, his arm hooking behind himself. “This’ll have to do for now, I can get you some more clothing tomorrow.”

“Thanks,” Nigel said, kissing Will’s neck once and then took the clothes. He stripped down right there, shirt over his head, then the pants and tossed them on the bed, stark naked in the middle of Will’s living room. He put the pants on first, and then the tank, both hugging his form, nothing left to the imagination, from the dip of his hips where it V’d down, to the well formed, but not too overly so, pecs that stretched the tank across his hairy chest.

Blue eyes went dark for a moment as Will allowed himself to rove up and down Nigel’s perfectly chiseled form freely. He licked his lips and rubbed the back of his neck. “You're welcome,” he said, a bit rougher than intended. “We...should get you settled.”

“Into doing what, Will?” Nigel grinned over at the curly haired man, and stalked forward. “I’m here, I’m healthy.” He reached out and moved a stray curl from Will’s eyes and brushed his fingers over his stubbled cheek.

“You are,” Will agreed with a whisper, his hands resting on Nigel’s waist, as he gazed at him. He could feel the breeze from the opened door wafting in and cooling his hot skin, his heart rate picking up at the knowledge that there was absolutely nothing or no one to stop them now. “And settled into this new way of life for you, us…”

“I need to make good on a few promises, darling,” Nigel whispered as he leaned down to kiss Will, pressing their lips together, his hand curling around the back of his head.

Will toed off his boots, kicking them out of the way and licked into Nigel’s mouth with a groan, his fingers hooking into the waistband of those flannel pajama bottoms. “Farbeit for me to deny you the opportunity.”

Nigel walked Will to the bed, pushing the bags out of the way with the sweep of his arm, and then pushed Will down gently. He tugged Will’s shirt above his head, kissing him down into the flimsy mattress.

Socked feet hooked at the ankles as Will’s legs wrapped around Nigel’s hips, his arms around his neck as they made out hotly on the bed. Luckily, the dogs stayed out and Will was grateful. “Fuckin’ been thinking of this…”

Nigel groaned, biting at Will’s lips as he reached to undo the empath’s jeans, hands slipping over slim hips. “Yeah? Me too, gorgeous.”

Will lifted his hips after unhooking his legs, letting Nigel slide off his jeans, helping him and then grasped his face to kiss him again. “Nobody can tell us no, not now.”

“Good,” Nigel moaned, slipping Will’s pants off and to the ground, he palmed slowly down his chest, over his stitches, gently, wanting to mark and marr the younger man as his own, make him forget that awful smile.

Long fingers gathered the fabric of Nigel’s tank top, pulling it over his head, minding his bandage and then rested on his shoulders as he looked up at him, wantonly. Every single nerve in his body was buzzing with lust, love, and anticipation.

Nigel shucked off his pajamas pants, pushing Will’s thighs apart, intending to take his time to savor every inch of him. “Hope you’ve got time, darling, I don’t plan on letting you go too soon.”

“I have plenty of it,” Will breathed, exposed in a way he'd never been before. He didn't mind, not with Nigel being the one between his legs. His cock throbbed, laying hard against his belly and leaking as reached to take the Romanian’s in his hand to stroke.

Nigel’s light amber eyes darkened at that, and he snarled a growl into Will’s mouth, biting there once before moving down his jaw, to his neck, nosing and kissing against the pulse there. He’d be slow, he’d work Will perfectly open, make him _sing_.

Will growled in return, his hips slowly rolling as he was all but devoured in a languid way. He'd never been so cherished, so savored before. “Fuck-” he murmured, already titillated and hard as concrete. He flicked his wrist, thumbing over Nigel's tip to slicken the glide while stroking.

Slipping from Will’s perfectly capable grip, the Romanian moved down his body slowly, working his sharp teeth around nubs of flesh over his chest, lapping at his nipples. “Will-”

Arching his back, Will threaded his fingers into Nigel’s hair, carefully, as he looked down to meet his gaze. “Nigel-”

The dangerous man bit at Will’s hips, holding him down with strong hands, pinning him as he nosed against the thicket of hair at his groin, taking in his musk. Nigel lapped at his balls one-by-one, taking his time to savor every taste and texture against the rough pad of his tongue.

“Shit-” Will gasped, thankfully unable to move his hips or he surely would've bucked them at the feel of Nigel’s hot tongue. His eyes fluttered shut as his chest heaved almost erratically.

Nibbling at Will’s balls, Nigel pushed his knees to his chest, spreading Will’s legs. He licked once at his taint, and then further down, rimming his hole with his tongue. Gripping Will’s ankles, he held him still, forcefully.

“Nigel-” Will had almost protested at being licked there, but then pleasure washed over him like a wave, dragging him into a sea of desire. “Oh, god…”

Nigel pressed his tongue into Will once and then out again, letting go of one ankle. He then pushed one finger into the wet slicked entrance, slowly, watching Will with half lidded, amber eyes. “Good?”

“Very,” Will groaned and clutched the sheets white knuckled, relaxing his pucker to the much wanted intrusion. Blue eyes burned into Nigel as he licked his lips, wanting more.

Nigel never let his gaze falter as he dipped low and laved his tongue against his finger and Will’s entrance, spit pooling there as he push in a second finger. Slowly, he worked will open, fingers scissoring, stretching him with ease.

Will blindly reached out to his nightstand and plucked a bottle of lube from it, setting it aside for what was to come. He moaned, deep and breathy as his prostate was tapped perfectly. It burned, but the pain was giving way to pleasure. “Yeah, there-”

Nigel reached for the lube from Will and slathered some on his fingers. Lifting his head a little, he pressed in another finger, the grip of Will’s ass was loosened, taking all three perfectly. “Relax…”

Nodding, Will’s head lolled back into the pillow, heat and desire licking down his spine, to his groin where it pooled, bubbling and boiling like a volcano ready to erupt. “Fuck me-”

Nigel used the lube to wet his own cock completely, and then got to his knees, pushing Will’s to gently to his stomach. He pushed in slowly, letting Will feel out the sensation as the bulbous head slipped passed the first rung of muscle.

Fire surged through his veins as his hole stretched to accommodate Nigel’s thick cock and Will let out a throaty growl. He took a breath, eyes blazing in ecstasy. “Nigel…”

Amber irises blazed down at Will under heavy hooded lids. Nigel held Will’s hips as he pressed in hilt deep, holding it there as they connected, charged and bonded. “Will, fuck, look at you.”

Skilled fingers wrapped around Nigel’s biceps as Will groaned roughly; his body felt alight with pleasure, heart thudding like a drum within his chest. “Feels so good.”

With consent given, Nigel snapped his hips back and whipped them forward again, picking up a forceful rhythm. His balls smacked against Will’s ass, slick sounds filling the air around them permeated with the picked up panting between them.

Will’s eyes went dark, the beast inside howling at the feel of being taken hard and forcefully. He dug blunt nails into tawny skin, scratching down as his lips curled into a slight snarl. “Harder-”

Holding back, Nigel gazed at Will a deeper hunger lingering behind his lust blown eyes. He pulled back enough to flip Will over leaning against his back, still inside of him. “Hands and knees, darling…”

Adjusting his position, Will secured his body on all fours, his muscular ass pert and ready. He relaxed again, drawing a breath as chocolate curls hung in his eyes. “Like this?”

“Yeah,” Nigel said, gripping Will’s hips hard enough to leave white marks behind. He arched back and pistoned his hips forward, beating into his beau with quick passes of his hips.

Guttural grunts resounded from Will as his head hung between his shoulders, sweat starting to form and drip down his spine. He moved back against Nigel, trying to get all of him in as deep as he could. “Fuck-”

“Good, Will,” Nigel growled, one strong arm wrapping around his shoulder as the Romanian beast hunched his muscular form over Will’s body. His hips worked hard in small bursts, tapping the sweet spot inside Will with repeated force. “C’mon, Darling.” He wrapped his hand around Will’s cock, the other around his throat, squeezing gently on both as he held him, stroking his length.

Will’s muscles flexed, hands fisting the sheets as he huffed out ragged moans. His release coiled at the base of his spine, traveling to his cock where it finally exploded out, all over the bed. “Nigel-!”

The older man grunted, hips working faster with each glide of hot white passion, bursting out all at once, panting against Will’s neck. He slowed, milking every last drop from Will and himself until he pulled out completely.

“Fuckin’ love you,” Will managed, his body covered in sweat, hair sticking to his brow as he looked over his shoulder at Nigel.

Leaning in, Nigel kissed Will’s glistening shoulder, bit it once. “Fucking love you, too, blue eyes.”

Will smiled and then collapsed on the bed, rolling over onto his back to look up at Nigel better. “I'd say you more than fulfilled your promise.”

“Baby, I’m just getting started,” Nigel purred. “We can rest up first.”

“You weren’t joking at the hospital,” Will chuckled and canted his head towards Nigel, the sweat cooling on his skin from the fan and the open door.

Nigel licked Will’s shoulder and then kissed him there before rolling off the bed and onto his feet in one finessed move. “Have you got any food, or did you make it all to bring me?”

Will sat up, running his hand through his curls before standing. “There's some stuff for sandwiches in there, some frozen meals, and some spaghetti,” he said, pulling out a pair of boxer briefs as the dogs ran in as though they knew food was about to be made. He shook his head and went to close the door, heading to the bathroom to clean up. “Make anything you want.”

“Thanks,” Nigel said as he watched the pooches and then opened the fridge door, moving things around, pulling out cheese and meats, mayo, mustard, lettuce. Everything was set out on the counter as he looked for bread, feeling uptop of the fridge for it until he found it.

Will came out a few minutes later, just in his light blue boxer briefs. He walked over to the fridge and pulled out the dog food he'd made early that morning, preparing to heat it up. Once it was warm, he dished it out and washed his hands. He gave them some water before helping with the sandwiches. “I have some chips too, if you want?”

“Chips?” Nigel asked not sure if chips were the same thing to him as they were to Will. He crooked a brow at his beau, slapping mayo onto the bread, and then licked a bit from his thumb. He brushed his hands over his naked torso and then piled meat onto the bread.

Taking the bag from the cabinet, Will held them up to show Nigel before opening them up. “I believe you call them crisps or something similar?” he asked, uncertain.

“Ah, yes.” Nigel smiled, eyes twinkling at Will, and stole a chip from one of the bags. Placing it in his mouth, he crunched down on it with a hum. He took a few more and laid them out on the sandwich. Taking both sides of one, he squashed the two slices together. “Better.”

Will pulled out two pieces of bread for himself and threw together a sandwich. He poured some chips into his plate and set the bag down. Grinning over at Nigel, Will went to the fridge again. “Beer, water, or iced sweet tea?”

“Beer,” Nigel replied, taking his sandwich to the small breakfast bar. “The fuck’s iced sweet tea?”

With a nod, Will pulled two beers out and set them on the breakfast bar, having a seat with his plate. He laughed and rubbed his chin. “You've never had tea? Where I'm from we drink it cold, with sugar.”

“That’s not tea,” Nigel pointed out and took a big bite of his sandwich, crunching the chips.

“It is tea,” Will countered and gestured to the box of Lipton on the counter. He didn't go in for that frilly herbal stuff that Hannibal would likely drink.

“It’s really not, Darling,” Nigel said, matter of fact, without so much as looking up from his sandwich. He took another big bite, munching away.

Will rolled his eyes and took a bite of his sandwich, following it with a few chips. He liked the _tea_ and that was all that mattered. “Whatever.”

“Suppose to be hot,” Nigel said with a teasing grin. “With honey or some shit. I don’t drink it, honestly.”

“Only drink it hot if I'm sick,” Will offered and then grinned back before taking a swig of his beer.

Nigel gave a little shrug. He didn’t care one way or another, but tea wasn’t meant to be cold. That said, he looked over at Will, a predatory smile sweeping across his features. “Alright, darling, whatever you say.”

Will shook his head and met Nigel’s gaze, finishing his sandwich in a few big bites. He popped a couple of chips in his mouth and chased it with more beer. “Good.”

Nigel gave a dark chuckle at Will, winking at him once. “God, you are… gorgeous.”

“Thanks,” Will said, looking down at the plate for a minute. He grinned and took another sip, reaching out to take his beau’s hand to hold. “So do you like it here?”

“From what I’ve seen.” Nigel finished his sandwich with two big bites, and chugged down his beer.

“Not much to see out here though, unless you're like me,” Will said, his lips wrapping around the rim of his beer. He leaned forward on the counter.

“I like _looking_ at you,” Nigel pointed out, giving Will a wink as he set down the empty beer bottle.

“You're not so bad to look at either,” Will offered with a grin after finishing off his own beer. He liked how Nigel looked at him, like he couldn't get enough; Will felt the same way.

Nigel chuckled, standing to get another beer, tossing the bottle into the garbage by the counter. “Thank fucking God. I was afraid the bullet hole in my head was a deal breaker.”

“We’ll get you a few hats,” Will teased and stood up to throw away his empty bottle. He cleaned up the plates, and put the food up, grabbing another beer.

Nigel busted the cap off on the counter and then leaned against it with his hip. “A hat? I look terrible in hats.”

Will walked over and opened his the same way. He set it down to wrap his arm around Nigel’s waist and leaned in to kiss him. “Wouldn't want you in a hat. Was just teasing.”

Nigel gave a menacing, sharp toothed grin down at Will, and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. “You would look cute in one though.”

“I do have a few,” Will said with a chuckle, though they were mostly for cold weather or fishing. He palmed down Nigel’s back, over his ass to give it a squeeze.

Nigel hummed a growl at that, and pressed his hips into Will’s, enjoying the feel of his hands on his bare ass. “Thought so.”

Will had wanted to touch Nigel’s ass since he saw it peeking out the hospital gown. It ignited a primal feeling inside him, a growl of his own resounding in answer to his. “Did you?”

Setting down the condensation laden bottle on the counter, Nigel leaned in and snagged Will’s plump lip between his teeth. “I imagine a lot of things about you.”

“Such as?” Will rumbled and pulled back to grab his bottle. Taking a drink, he put it back down before leaning in to share in a beer flavored kiss, languid and deep.

Nigel laughed, hugging Will tight to him. “I’ve gotten to see a few of them just a little bit ago.”

“That you did,” Will hummed, embracing Nigel in turn, calloused fisherman’s hands roving up and down his body.

“I plan to worship every inch of you, Will,” Nigel whispered, resting their faces together.

“Just make sure you let me return the favor,” Will whispered back and kissed Nigel again.

“Anything you want, gorgeous.” Nigel pressed Will into the counter, no longer famished, and ready to go again. It’d been so long since he’d properly been able to fuck anyone.

Will looked up at Nigel, eyes laden with lust and burning desire for his beau. He licked his lips, sucking the lower one through his teeth. “I'll keep that in mind.”

“You do that.” Nigel palmed down Will’s ass, gripping the fleshy muscle with his strong hands.

Grunting, Will leaned forward and bit down on Nigel’s neck, over the mark he'd left while he was in the hospital. His cock was hard once more, pressing against the Romanian's body through the thin fabric of his boxer briefs. “Yeah.”

“God, we’re made for each other, Will,” Nigel breathed, shaking with the heat that filled his loins and limbs all at once.

“We are,” Will agreed, feral hunger burning through his veins as he slid his hand between them to fist Nigel’s cock. He met his eyes as he stroked, up and down along the shaft, thumb sweeping over the bulbous tip.

A gluttonous growl erupted from Nigel’s chest as he devoured Will’s mouth, stroking their tongues together. He never wanted this to end, he wanted to laze about with Will until they were old and decrepit. Will sucked on Nigel’s tongue, his teeth scraping the muscle as he worked his cock. He didn't want it to end either and wanted to forget all about Hannibal, the FBI, and anything that wasn't the two of them.

Nigel pushed Will up onto the counter, moving the beers aside, and stood between his legs. He kissed down Will’s jaw, biting against his pulse with ravaging hunger. “I could fuck you all day…”

"No complaints here," Will groaned, fingers threading through ashy blond strands. He lolled his head to the side, chest heaving. Never before had he been so consumed with want for another.

Biting into Will’s jaw, Nigel scooped his hands under his ass, holding him up against him as he laved his rough tongue against every bit of skin he could devour. “None at all?”

Will tightened his muscular legs around Nigel’s waist, arms locking around his neck as he ground his ass into his beau. He kissed the Romanian desperately, as though he might wake up and this would all be just a dream. “None.”

“Tell me something you’ve always wanted to do sexually, Will,” Nigel began, murmuring the words into his skin as his fangs drifted over the supple flesh of his shoulder.

“Restrain someone...powerful,” Will rumbled, his nails scratching down Nigel’s back. He'd be open to being restrained too, only for his boyfriend.

“You want to restrain me?” Nigel asked, gauging Will with a look as he pulled back to look at him, not at all judging. Nigel hardly ever gave himself that way, but… for Will?

“Yes,” Will answered, his eyes dark as a grin lifted on his lips. He stroked Nigel’s face, thumbing over his cheekbone. “And I'll… return the favor, if you want.”

“No. You want that. I’m… going to trust you,” Nigel assured, and kissed Will hard for it. “What you got around here?”

“Handcuffs, rope,” Will murmured and kissed Nigel again, unhooking his legs to stand on the ground. He knew it was likely not something the gruff man had allowed another to do before.

“Should’ve known you kept a pair of cuffs,” Nigel grinned, silvery hair falling into his eyes as he took a step back, predatory gaze looking Will up and down with appreciation.

“You should've,” Will grinned, darkly and stepped toward Nigel, his arms crossing over his chest. His biceps bulged, as he arched a brow towards the bed. “Lay down.”

“Bossy too, hm?” Nigel asked, walking backward toward the bed, letting himself fall back against the rickety thing.

“You like it,” Will smirked and then tugged his underwear off, walking over to the dresser. He pulled out his handcuffs and turned around, a predatory stare of his own glinting as he took Nigel’s wrists and handcuffed him to the headboard. “Gotta make sure you stay put.”

“Anything you say, gorgeous,” Nigel all but moaned, voice rough with need.

Once Nigel was secured to the bed, Will stepped back, surveying his prize. He licked his lips and hummed, appreciatively. “Just look at you, all laid out for me like a feast.”

“You can eat as much as you want,” Nigel breathed out, loving the way Will looked at him. It was such a fucking turn on.

Will chuckled at that, a deep, seductive thing and crawled on the bed, forcing Nigel’s legs apart. He nosed around his cock with a growl before licking a hot striped up the seam of his balls. Nigel’s legs bent and his head dropped back, taking in the feel of Will’s blazing tongue. He swore under his breath, hand tugging against the restraints just to see how tight they were.

Looking up, Will clucked his tongue and then pushed Nigel’s thick legs back towards his belly. He held them there, under his knees before getting lower. The empath bit each supple cheek and began to lap in between them, groaning at just how hot and delicious his boyfriend tasted.

“Oh fucking Christ-” was all Nigel was able to get out before he writhed and squirmed. He’d never been once been touched or man handled like this.

Will swirled around Nigel’s hole at that, pressing the tip inside before laving all over it, again and again. He dined on him, hungrily, keeping his legs back and cheeks parted. “Fucking taste good,” he murmured.

Nigel’s fingers curled against his palms, anticipation to what his beau might do to him after this getting best of him. “Will… fuck, don’t stop.” Nigel was sure he could come just like this…

“Not planning on it-” Will responded, and licked up to Nigel’s cock, taking all of it in his mouth. He went down to the hilt, cheeks hollowing as the rough pads of his fingers pressed against his opening.

Nigel bit his lip, hard enough to bleed and he sucked the little droplets of blood into his mouth. “Easy-” he managed, huffing out the breath as warning of his body’s readiness.

“I know,” Will assured, after popping off of Nigel’s cock. He reached over to grab the lubricant and poured it over the Romanian’s hole. “I'll work you open, slow and deep. Get a good sound or two out of you first.”

“Sure, whatever you want, blue eyes,” Nigel groaned, unable to look away, his body humming for more.

With permission granted, Will took Nigel’s cock back down his throat as he slowly eased a finger in up to the knuckle. He didn't want to hurt his beau. Hardly hurt, Nigel rutting his hips up into Will’s hot mouth, and then pushed them down into his finger, taking him in further.

Will slid his finger in and out, pressing against the pleasure nub inside Nigel and added a second finger, scissoring him as he bobbed up and down along his thick, veiny shaft with a throaty hum.

With all the newness, Nigel knew he wouldn’t last long, his body hot and ripe for the taking. He tugged on the cuffs, desperate for anything to stop him.” Darling, I’m-”

Not stopping, Will curled his fingers, stroking Nigel inside as he sucked his beau’s large cock. He would have that come, and _then_ he would fuck him until he released his own. As Will was not letting up, Nigel let out a shout of warning, the only one he would give, before shooting down Will’s throat in hot spurts.

Will swallowed every last drop of Nigel’s spend, growling as he savored him. His fingers at last pulled out when he'd sucked the Romanian dry. Moving up his body, the empath kissed his beau, letting him taste himself. “Mm-”

“Jesus, you catch on fast,” Nigel huffed, capturing Will’s mouth with his own, licking into the wet crevices. “Going to fuck me now? Use me?”

“Always was a fast learner,” Will agreed with a dark grin. He moved off of Nigel, and got the key to the cuffs, undoing them. “Yes. On all fours,” he commanded and sat back on his heels to watch as he slathered his dick with lube.

“Are you… getting me back?” Nigel asked, rolling to his hands and knees.

Will rubbed his hand down Nigel’s spine and leaned over to kiss between his shoulders. “Getting you back?” he asked, his tone rough with want. He was merely trying something new, there was no revenge to it. “Do you… want me to stop?”

A barking laugh escaped Nigel’s chest, head hanging low between his arms. “No, darling. I took you this way, I was curious. You can do anything you want to me. My very being is in your hands.”

“In that case,” Will chuckled, shaking his head at himself for a moment before positioning his cockhead against Nigel’s hole. He gripped his hips, firmly and pressed in half way. “Shit-”

Nigel dropped to his elbows with that, the bright white pain painted behind his squeezed shut eyes, reminding himself to relax. “There you go…” he managed to bark out.

“Breathe,” Will instructed, on a breath of his own as he steeled himself so he wouldn't push all the way in right away. He rubbed Nigel’s back, scraping blunt nails there and pushed in another few inches.

Laughing again, Nigel looked behind him at Will, sharp teeth peeking out from his shapely lips. “Thanks…” he pushed back on Will and took the rest of him in, shocking heat bursting through his very frame.

Will groaned, too engulfed in pleasure to laugh now. He met Nigel’s gaze and then pulled out a bit, pressing right back in with a swivel of his lean hips. “Fuck-”

Nigel would never deny Will a thing, he’d give his very means to see the empath breached with happiness. Even himself, and the very deeds he never allowed a soul. “That’s it, Will-”

Grunting, Will set up a good pace, driving in Nigel’s ass more earnestly since he was worked open. It felt incredible and took all his control to not come right away. “You're so tight.”

“First time, darling,” Nigel breathed out with a hefty grunt, fingers tucked into the sheets, white knuckled. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to come again, but it felt glorious.

“Perfect,” Will growled and bent at the knees to get a more precise angle as he fucked into his beau. He gave his cheek a hearty slap and quickened his pace.

Squeezing around Will’s length, Nigel panted, the exertion was a lot for him, more than he bargained, but he wasn’t going to let up; it was all too good. “Will, fuck-” Heat was blooming through him once more, spreading through the backs of his thighs.

The vice-like grip around his shaft had Will groaning, his heart pounding in his ears. Pleasure licked down his spine, sending his release to a boiling point as he finally let himself go. “Nigel-” he managed and then erupted, hot ropes of come filling the Romanian’s ass as strong hips stuttered and snapped. “Fuck-!”

Fingers clenching tighter into the sheets, one hand shot up and Nigel gripped Will closer by the hip. His ragged breathing hung thick in the air as their bodies moved together and then came to a slowing point. “You’re amazing.”

“I love you,” Will panted in answer and leaned over Nigel’s back to kiss him. He slid out, and rolled onto his back, holding his arms open in invitation.

Carefully, Nigel dropped down and rested against Will, his throbbing head against his chest, flushed all over. He was hard again, but he had no use to come once more. This was perfect. “I love you, too, gorgeous.”

“You okay?” Will asked, sweaty and exhausted but still concerned for his beau because of his head wound. He kissed his crown softly and sighed.

“I’m always fine,” Nigel insisted, resting into Will, not a care in the fucking world.

“Were going to clean you up and I think it's time for another pain pill,” Will insisted back, knowing Nigel would likely hide that.

“Going to give me a sponge bath, Nurse Graham?” Nigel asked, his smile lazy as he gazed at his beau, love struck.

“Something like that,” Will chuckled and smiled back at Nigel. He ran his fingers down his lover’s belly, and back up through the nest of chest hair there.

“I’m not going to stop you,” Nigel murmured, his hand resting over Will’s hip, careful of the stitches.

“I wouldn't let you stop me,” Will teased, enjoying their time like this. The dogs rested on the floor, scattered in their beds as the sun began its descent.

“Good,” Nigel huffed, tugging the bandage off his head all together, full of sweat now anyway.

Will leaned over to look at Nigel’s wound. “C’mon,” he said, getting up and offering his hand after grabbing the bag from the hospital. “Let's do this now.”

Grunting, Nigel rolled after Will, using his hand to pull himself to his feet. He was half hard still, but was unabashingly not worried about it. “Alright, alright.”

Looking down at Nigel’s half hard cock, Will licked his lips. “And if you're a… good patient, I'll reward you later,” he grinned and then lead Nigel into the bathroom, setting out the supplies when he got in there.

“Anything from you is reward enough,” Nigel insisted, but he wouldn’t say no. He took the liberty of cleaning himself up and getting all the come out of himself first, before he allowed Will the honors of the rest.

While Nigel did that, Will washed his cock and then his hands before beginning lather up a different washcloth. “You say that now,” he teased and leaned in to kiss him and then started with his head, using cautious sweeps around the site. “How's that feel?”

The Romanian held a hand to Will’s hip, the other reaching out to holding himself up on the counter. Touches to the bullet wound spot were sensitive, making him a little dizzy. “It’s… okay.”

Will softened his touch even more and then rinsed the area, rebandaging it up. Once he was done there, he got another washcloth, lathered, and started bathing Nigel’s chest. “Maybe we should take it easy for a bit.”

Nigel was an all or nothing sort of guy, taking it easy was hardly a step in any direction he was likely to take. He smirked at Will, eyes half closed as he was sponge bathed. He sat down, just to take the ease off his stance, if nothing else. “If you need to.”

“ _I_ don't need to,” Will chuckled, knowing they were both stubborn in their own ways. He drew a breath and washed under Nigel’s arms, and down. Before too long he had him spotless, or as good as he could considering it wasn't a proper bath. “There.”

“Happy now?” Nigel asked, his amber gaze never leaving Will’s face, not even once.

“Yes,” Will said and then leaned in to kiss Nigel twice. He disposed of the soiled rags and washed his hands before grabbing the bag to set down once they were out. “Now medicine.”

“Yes, Nurse Graham,” Nigel teased, getting back to his feet as he was lead out to the living room once more. He bent to pick up the discarded bag of medication and wraps from the nurse and set it on the bed. Blood rushed to his head and he sat down to keep from falling over, dizzy.

“Okay, _you_ need to let me help you,” Will said, gently. He crouched in front of Nigel, hands on his thighs and peered up at him. “Please.”

“I'm alright, Sweetheart,” Nigel said, touching Wills scruffy face. “But a little help would be nice.”

Will nodded and then stood up, going to get Nigel a bottle of water. He came back, handed it to his beau and then pulled out his meds. “Here,” he said kindly and offered them up, closing the bag back once Nigel took them. “And are you planning on staying naked? Not that I mind… ” he chuckled, though he needed to dress also.

“Give me those pants,” Nigel demanded, his rough voice coaxing a smile out of Will and himself. He drank his pills down with the water, not complaining once.

“Now who's bossy?” Will teased, raising a brow as he got the pants and handed them over to Nigel. He pulled on his own, opting to leave off his shirt for now.

Nigel pulled the pants on, up and over his slim hips and then kept seated, watching Will, eyes skimming every surface. “I’m always bossy.”

“Yeah you are,” Will agreed, scratching his jaw with a little smirk. He sat down on the edge of the bed, legs spread and forearms resting on them. “Might have to take you fishing sometime. It's soothing. Probably would do you some good.”

“Fishing? I’ll watch you fish, gladly,” Nigel answered.

“Works for me,” Will said, not having anticipated Nigel to actually want to participate.

“I’ll drink beer, you’ll fish,” Nigel insisted with a wry grin.

“You've got it worked out, sounds like,” Will laughed, once and petted Winston after he hopped up onto the bed with a huff.

Nigel reached to pet Winston once and then got up to grab the beer he’d left on the counter. Warm or not, he’d drink it. “I get to spend time with you. That’s all that matters, gorgeous.”

“You can have a cold one,” Will offered and leaned back on the bed, arms under his head. He was glad to spend any amount of time with Nigel and so far didn't mind sharing space with him.

“After this one,” Nigel said, chugging it down and let the bottle go into the recycle. Vision blurring with that, he decided against it. “On second thought.” He wandered back over to Will and shuffle and plopped down on the bed.

“Not a good idea to drink too many with your medicine anyways,” Will drawled and rolled over into his side to look at Nigel. “I expect Jack will come by at some point.”

“Please let me be drunk for that,” Nigel huffed, kidding for the most part.

“Only if I can join you,” Will barked out a laugh and placed his hand over Nigel’s heart, thumbing there.

“What a sight we’ll be,” Nigel murmured, laying back to hold Will against his chest.

As Will curled into Nigel, he chuckled a little more, his pitch always a bit higher when he engaged in hearty laughter. “I think the look on Jack’s face would be worth it.”

“He’d probably arrest us both,” Nigel sighed, running long, crooked fingers through Will’s curls.

“He could _try_ ,” Will mumbled and then hummed at the feel of Nigel lavishing affection on him.

“He could.” Nigel closed his eyes, more worn out than he expected to be, but Will was warm and the weather was placating.


	6. Chapter 6

Months passed along quickly, Jack was in and out of their lives, but mostly left them alone. Nigel kept him at bay about Will being in on the Hannibal Lecter hunt. As far as recovery went, Nigel’s wound healed, an odd scar knotted on his head, and now and then his headaches were surreal, and sometimes blinding. The doctor’s told him it was normal and something he’d have to get used to. He kept most of those thought to himself when it came to worrying Will.

“Can they really not find Lecter without you?” Nigel asked one afternoon once Jack and Alana both left.

“I'm the only one who would know where to look,” Will answered, moving his glass of whiskey minutely between forefinger and thumb. He looked up at Nigel, trying to assess his reaction. “The only one who… understands his mind. As much as one can.” 

Competing with a ghost was one thing. Competing with a man who knew Will better than anyone, and vice versa, was another. Nigel mulled it over as he sipped on his beer. “Sounds like Jack’s a shitty agent then.”

“He’ll try to find him on his own, if I don't go,” Will said with a sigh, taking another drink of his whiskey and setting it down with a clink. 

“Let them,” Nigel said, trying to get Will right out of his funk about it. “He’s not your problem anymore, darling.”

“No, he isn't,” Will agreed and reached over to place his hand atop Nigel’s, offering him a small smile. “I have my hands full with a certain Romanian.”

“It’s your job to keep me in line,” Nigel said with a smirk and a wink. “If you weren’t here, what would I do, hm?”

“Vile things, likely,” Will grinned and squeezed Nigel’s hand, bringing it up to his lips to kiss his fingertips. “It's a tough job but somebody’s gotta do it.”

“I do vile things to you already,” Nigel teased as he curled his fingers against Will’s lips, pulling them down a little to creep them inside.

Will hummed his agreement and open his mouth further, sucking on two of Nigel’s thick fingers, tongue swirling around them as he held eye contact. Those stunning sea blues stared at Nigel as the rougher man growled under his breath, spreading his thighs.

“Come here.”

With a grin, Will went to Nigel. He stood before him, flannel shirt loose and unbuttoned as he placed his hands on his shoulders and peered down at his beau. “Here?” he asked with a coy arch of brow. 

“Yeah. Right there.” Nigel finished his beer and set the bottle down, hands on Will’s waist, gripping firmly.

Will raked his fingers through Nigel’s hair, letting his nails lightly scratch his scalp as he took in a breath. “You call, I come.”

A hum resounded through Nigel’s chest as he pressed his lips to Will’s navel, nibbling on his skin. “Is that right?”

“I'm here aren't I?” Will drawled, more himself with Nigel than anyone. He let out a breathy moan at the feel of those teeth on his skin as a shiver ran through him. 

“Yeah, but you aren’t coming yet,” Nigel teased, breathing over Will’s belly as he kissed down, undoing his jeans slowly, licking down the zipper.

Will’s grin turned into a deep groan as he watched Nigel through lidded eyes. He brushed long ashen strands out of the way while hips canted forward. “You're insatiable…”

Nigel chuckled as he stripped Will of his ratty denim jeans, and palmed him through his thin boxers. “You make me that way… and then some, handsome.”

“You have that same effect on me,” Will murmured and leaned down to capture Nigel’s mouth. He slipped his tongue inside, seeking and hungry as his cock leaked through the fabric of his underwear. 

“God I hope so,” Nigel whispered, biting at Will’s lips as he tugged his boxers down his thighs, forcing Will out of jeans and underwear alike, and then into his lap.

“You do,” Will reiterated and ground his ass down against Nigel’s groin. He mouthed over his beau’s neck, to his ear which he scraped with his teeth to prove his point. 

Nigel lifted his hips into Will’s ass and stripped off his own pants, to the ground, and then held Will over his erection. “Just looking at you gets me hard. That ass of yours…”

Will felt himself heat up, and with growl he plundered Nigel’s hot mouth, teeth clacking as he licked every bit of the inside there. Pulling back to breathe, he spit on his hand and reached around behind himself, grasping the Romanian’s cock to stroke. “Yeah?”

“God, dirty too,” Nigel moaned, teeth pinching flesh at Will’s nipple, and then kissed him hard again.

“Mhm,” Will rumbled and leaned over to grab the bottle of lubricant. He slathered Nigel’s cock with it, and lifted up to lower back down his length. His ass engulfed him completely, and Will let out a deep howl at the feel before beginning to rock. “Fucking-”

“Jesus, look at you,” Nigel groaned, unable to never be amazed at how much Will actually _wanted_ him. “That’s it, ride me.”

“Like how I ride you?” Will rasped, a shiver going down his spine, to his core as his hole sucked Nigel’s cock in with each tight thrust. He brushed his lips over his lover’s, just sharing huffs of hot breath. “How I take what's _mine-”_

“Yeah, taking the whole package,” Nigel managed, gazing up at Will with the fiercest love in his eyes. He had plans for them and they involved a lot of fucking, a lot of drinking, and one night where he’d own Will for the rest of his life.

Will rode Nigel at a frenetic pace, blood thrumming in his ears as he grasped his shoulders and arched his spine. He was full of wanton desire, even with having his beau’s cock in his ass, he needed more. “Yeah… shit, Nigel-”

“Come on, baby,” Nigel growled, feet planted on the floor as he pushed up into Will with every pass, panting, sweating.

“Feels so good,” Will husked, shoving his hips down relentlessly, with a near bruising force. Heat braided down his spine, his body readying for combustion as he tongue fucked Nigel’s mouth. 

“Come for me, show me how good,” Nigel managed, his own voice going rough around the edges, unable to get much else out as he guided Will’s hips, heat daring to burst through his loins.

Will grinned over Nigel’s mouth, hand splaying around his beau’s throat as strong hips snapped back and forth. He rested their foreheads together, meeting Nigel’s eyes when he started to come undone. “Nigel-” he growled out, hole clenching and body quaking in the grip of his powerful released, hot come shooting up between them. “Oh god-!”

“Oh fuck-!” Nigel shouted, gripping Will tightly as his cock was sheathed in lava hot squeezes of Will’s body, milking the very seed out of him.

Rocking his hips from slow to a stop, Will fed from Nigel’s mouth, devouring every sound and grunt there. He panted, catching his breath as he thumbed over his lover’s alpine cheekbone. “Fuck,” he chuckled and smiled, “Was that proof enough?”

“Yeah,” Nigel breathed, heavily, flushed and watching his beau through the silver fringe covering his wolfish eyes.

“Good,” Will murmured and nosed against Nigel, kissing him twice. He was covered in sweat, the sheen giving his skin a glow. 

“One of these days, I’m going to take you from here for a little bit and we’re going to go fishing for a long ass fucking time, Will,” Nigel whispered, as if it was the best gift ever.

It did mean alot to Will and he smiled, kissing Nigel with passionate love. He slipped his fingers into long ashen strands, raking it out of his boyfriend's eyes. “I’d like that, Nigel.” 

“Yeah?” Nigel grinned at that, his fangs peeking out from behind his lips. “Take you and the dogs far from anything to do with the FBI.”

“You're worried about that aren't you?” Will asked and kissed Nigel's jaw as he felt a bit of come dribble from his ass. 

“I have a bad feeling,” Nigel admitted, gripping Will’s ass possessively.

“What do you think is going to happen?” Will grunted briefly and then rested his forearms on Nigel’s shoulders. “That Hannibal and I are going to skip off into the sunset?”

“Didn’t you want to once?” Nigel asked, swallowing hard as he gazed at Will. He didn’t want to lose him, not now, not ever.

“I did but that was before you,” Will pointed out, looking into Nigel’s amber hues, his own warm with honest affection. “You've loved or wanted others before me… “

It was… difficult for Nigel, his jealousy got the best of him easily. He kissed under Will’s jaw and gently nuzzled him. “I fear the worst. Sue me.” However, it was the first time Will had ever mentioned ‘love’ in accordance with Hannibal Lecter.

“I love _you_ , Nigel,” Will assured, and rubbed the soft scrub of his face against Nigel’s as his hands rubbed down his back. Feelings for Hannibal had been there, though he never allowed himself to accept that or think that the cannibalistic doctor was even capable of such. 

“Marry me then,” Nigel whispered, desperate to keep hold of what was his and would always be his.

Will’s eyes widened a bit and then he kissed Nigel again, pressing his lips there closed mouthed. “Yes,” he whispered back, once he pulled away enough to speak. He smiled and cupped his _fiancé’s_ face. “I'll marry you, Nigel.”

A smile that lit Nigel’s whole face spread across his lips as he reached to tug Will in for another kiss, sloppy and wet. “I got a ring. I was going to ask you on our fishing trip.”

“Were you?” Will asked, grinning and breathless from the kiss. He palmed down Nigel’s chest, over his heart as he looked into warm eyes. “Guess I'll need to find one for you too then.” 

“You don’t have to,” Nigel insisted, but if Will wanted, he wouldn’t stop him. “It’s in my jeans.”

One last peck was Will’s response as he got off of Nigel’s lap and stretched. “Why don't you get it while I clean myself up?” he suggested with a quizzical brow. 

“Alright, gorgeous,” Nigel said, slapping Will’s ass as he watched him go. He picked up his jeans, putting his boxers on and then pulled out the little velvet box, looking inside for a second at the onyx colored stone with gold twined through it like thin fishing wire. Nothing fancy.

Will emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later in a pair of green boxers. He walked over to Nigel and looked at him. “Just figured I shouldn't have come in my ass for the occasion,” he chuckled. 

Nigel laughed, shaking his head, and then scooped Will up in his arms, happier than he’d ever been, even when he married Gabi. “I love you,” he said, opening the box to show Will the ring. “What do you think, darling? Acceptable?”

Hooking his arms around Nigel’s neck, Will smiled again and looked at the ring, nodding. The truth was, he was also happy, more so than he'd ever been and he certainly hadn't expected to meet his future husband back in the hospital. “It's perfect, Nigel, thank you,” he said and licked his lips. “I love you too. Always.”

Nigel unhooked Will’s left arm and slid the ring on his finger, glad it fit at least. It wasn’t showy or flashy, but perfectly contrast against his pale, but tanned, skin. “Looks good on you…”

“Thanks,” Will murmured, looking at the ring and rubbing his thumb over the band. He pecked Nigel again, and wet his lips. “It's beautiful, Nigel.” 

“If you don’t like it, I’ll get you something else,” Nigel insisted, only wanting to see Will happy.

“No, no, I love it, Nigel,” Will promised and kissed Nigel more soundly, slithering his tongue into his fiancé’s mouth. 

“Good,” Nigel breathed, sucking on Will’s tongue, pulling him flush against his body.

“Yeah,” Will whispered and pulled Nigel’s lower lip through his teeth, sucking there before letting go with a pop. “We should eat by the water today, let the dogs swim.”

“Anything you want, sweetheart,” Nigel said, voice low and husky as he nuzzled their faces together.

Will hummed his delight and smiled at Nigel, kissing under his jaw before he let go. “Good,” he said quietly and opened the door to let the dogs run out. “Any requests while I'm making their food?” 

“No,” Nigel chuckled, and let Will go so he could get things ready. “Let me get dressed and I’ll help you pack up some lunch.”

“Sounds good,” Will nodded and set out the pots and ingredients to begin making the dog food. While it all cooked, Will went to get dressed as well, a blue flannel that brought out his eyes with jeans. 

Nigel pulled on a t-shirt and jeans, once more, and then combed his hair back with his hands, and went to make a few sandwiches for their outing. Will was finished with the pack’s food and he set it out in their clean bowls, along with plenty of water. Once finished with that, he washed his hands and helped his beau make their lunch. 

“Just let me grab a blanket and we’re set,” Will commented to Nigel, touching his arm as he passed by. 

Nigel stuffed a bottle whiskey and beers into the basket of sandwiches and chips, nodding his head. “I’ll get the dogs gathered.”

“Thanks,” Will called out, shuffling things around in the linen closet until he found the blanket he was looking for. He folded it over his arm and then grabbed a ball to toss around to the dogs. “Alright, ready,” he said as he walked out to where Nigel was at. 

Nigel had the dogs outside and they all ran in the distance to get the ball. Nigel put his arm around Will, taking in the fresh air. Everything felt new, different-- perfect. Will always enjoyed seeing Nigel play with the dogs, it was a wonderful little life they were building together. 

As they walked towards the water, Will holding the blanket, and Nigel the basket, the empath inhaled blissfully. 

“So when are we taking that fishin’ trip?” Will asked, head canted and brows lifted. 

“Whenever you want, where ever you want,” Nigel said, having not worked his real job in a while, but he had enough money saved up that he could still get to that he’d give Will the world.

“Maybe in a week or two,” Will suggested, though he had no idea where yet. Maybe back home to New Orleans. Nigel would like enjoy the nightlife. “You're better to me than anyone has ever been.”

“You deserve only the best,” Nigel insisted as they walked. Being around Will had turned out to be the best moments of his life, worry free, for once, even with the FBI breathing down his neck about Darko.

“We both do,” Will offered, touching Nigel’s arm before curling his own around it. When they got to the river bank, Will let go and spread out the blanket, using his boots to hold it down. 

Nigel smiled at the thought of Will thinking he deserved better, the best even, because Nigel knew better than that. He threw the ball in the water and the dogs ran after it. “They’re going to need baths after this.”

“Bath time is a good time to bond,” Will explained, seriously, before smiling, and watching the dogs frolic about. He sat down on the blanket and began to unpack the basket. “C’mere.”

“For us or them?” Nigel smirked, getting down on the blanket with Will, he crawled over to him to peck his cheek.

Will turned and kissed the side of Nigel’s mouth, chuckling at his beau’s comment. “Maybe for all of us,” he answered and took a sandwich, raising it to put right in front of the Romanian's mouth. 

“There are a lot of them,” Nigel said. “So we’ll get in lots of bonding.”

“We will,” Will agreed and took a big bite of his own sandwich. He was happy with their outing, and glad that Nigel seemed to be having an equally enjoyable time. 

Nigel took one of the sandwiches and started to eat, watching Will with nothing but adoration. “I think of them as my family, too, now.”

Will leaned over and kissed Nigel for that, his mouth still full of sandwich. He nodded and opened a beer to take a swallow once he'd chewed. “And soon officially,” he grinned, looking at his ring. 

Nigel busted open another bottle of beer for himself, smiling at Will when he admired the ring. “Yup. Adopted dad to all those dogs. Exactly what I was going for.” He winked at Will.

“As it should have been,” Will chuckled and shook his head before tipping it back to chug a bit more beer. He set it down, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand and then ate a chip. 

“We’ll get married anywhere you want, bring whoever you want,” Nigel said, aware he had no one to bring, but that was fine… just fine.

“I don't need anything too fancy,” Will said, casting a loving gaze to Nigel. He knew he didn't either. “Maybe Alana and Jack or we can just do a courthouse wedding. S’long as we're together, it hardly matters.”

“Whatever you want. It’s yours,” Nigel insisted, reaching to run a loving hand through Will’s hair.

Will captured Nigel’s hand and brought it to his mouth to kiss, reverently. “I have what I want,” he promised, smiling at his beau. 

“Oh yeah? Happy with just me forever?” Nigel asked, leaning over to kiss Will’s lips.

“You and the dogs,” Will murmured over Nigel’s lips as he held him close by the back of his head. 

Nigel chuckled, gazing at Will up close, reaching to grasp Will’s shirt in a fist. “And the dogs.”

Will grinned and crawled over onto Nigel’s lap, tilting his head to kiss his handsome fiancé soundly. “Love you so much… “

The words never ceased to make Nigel’s heartbeat faster, to warm him through from the core, wanting to burst. Nigel accommodated Will and held him there, gazing into his eyes. “I love you, Will.”

A deep hum reverberated through Will’s chest as he looked down into Nigel's eyes and held his face. The last months with the Romanian had shown him a love without boundaries or pretext, nothing to decipher, just clear and unconditional. Reciprocity. “I know you do, I trust that more than anything else.”

“Good,” Nigel whispered, ashen hair falling back as his chin tilted up to nuzzle against Will’s scruffy face. The gangster showed only his deepest affection toward the empath, and without pretense of anything else interfering in his life for the moment, he felt he could better show Will the sort of person he could be.

Will brushed his lips against Nigel’s over to his cheekbone. He kissed there, his nose and then his brow. Truly, to show such affection was a rarity for the ex-agent but they were learning from each other. “I suppose I could let you finish your sandwich,” he chuckled. 

“I’d much rather have you,” Nigel said, sandwich and beer long forgotten by now, set to the side, as his hand roved over Will’s back.

“Glad to know I'm… _tastier_ than a sandwich and beer,” Will smirked and slipped his fingers through Nigel’s hair. He gave it a little tug to expose his beau’s neck so he could lick up the column there. 

“Who is tasting who here?” Nigel grunted, eyes closing as Will’s tongue laved over his Adam’s apple.

“Good point,” Will rumbled over tawny skin and sucked there for a moment before biting over to Nigel’s tattoo.

The Romanian groaned, gripping Will tighter against him. “Love those teeth of yours.”

“Love yours too,” Will whispered and then kissed Nigel’s lips again. One of the dogs trotted over and dropped the wet ball right beside them with an expectant bark, which made the empath laugh. “Buster evidentially wants to weigh in.”

Nigel bit Will’s bottom lip for that and then tossed the ball back into the water. “Later.”

“Yes,” Will agreed and licked his lips, watching Buster for a minute before turning back to Nigel. 

Nigel rolled them over and laid over Will, between his thighs, his knee against his groin. Will made him insatiable with lust, and hung over from love. He palmed under Will’s shirt, over the healed over smile, thumbing across the pink ridges as he kissed Will into the soft earth.

“Such a beast,” Will groaned in to Nigel’s mouth and ground into the knee against his crotch. He gripped tightly into silvery-blond hair as the other hand made its way under the back of his fiancé’s shirt to find skin. 

“Am I?” Nigel grinned as he bit Will’s bottom lip, undoing the buttons of his flannel.

“ _My_ beast,” Will grinned back, once his lip was free. He pulled Nigel’s shirt from his body and set it aside, taking his hand through the thicket of chest hair. 

“That’s right,” Nigel growled, palming down Will’s chest slowly kissing his lips with fevered hunger.

Will reached between them and undid Nigel’s jeans and then his own before tugging him back down for a biting kiss. “Then do what beasts do...devour me.”

Groaning, Nigel bit into Will’s mouth and then down his pale chest, to his hips. He pushed Will’s jeans off and then took his cock into his mouth, and swallowed him whole, devouring every inch.

“Oh fuck!” Will gasped, his spine arching as he was taking down. He fisted Nigel’s stands and howled out a moan, all the while keeping his eyes locked on the other’s. “Yes, like that-”

Nigel’s gaze hooded, slowly wapping his tongue aroundt Will’s shaft, lapping and laving, up and down. He pinned Will’s hips to the ground as he blew him, thumbing over his jutting bones.

“Shit…” Will breathed out, his thigh muscles flexing and toes curling as his chest heaved erratically. Heat was already spreading through his body, boiling in his groin. 

Nigel skimmed his teeth over the sensitive flesh, and took Will all the way down once more. His amber hues were darker, hungrier for more of Will's taste.

“Nigel,” Will moaned, biting his own lower lip hard enough to draw blood. He pressed his heels into the blanketed earth, one hand scrambling for purchase. “Fuck, I'm gonna-”

Squeezing Will’s balls in one fist, Nigel all but begged the other man to come, to give him his very seed, he’d take it all. Nigel hummed, groaning around Will’s length waiting for the impending shot. Will’s muscles clenched and shook as shockwaves of pleasure rippled through his body. His hand tightened in Nigel’s hair as hot ropes of come jutted out of his dick and down his throat, visioning whiting out. With a shout, he made a strangled noise that was meant to be his beau’s name. 

“Fuck,” Nigel managed, swallowing down every last bit of Will’s spent. He licked his teeth slowly. “Taste good every time.”

Will grabbed Nigel and pulled him over his body, hooking his legs around his waist as he kissed him sloppily, tasting himself. He then rolled their bodies over so he was on top. “Now I want to taste you.”

“I’d never deny you,” Nigel whispered, gazing up at Will as he toppled to his back.

“Good answer,” Will whispered huskily and then pulled Nigel’s pants down, boxers as well before he got between his thighs. The ex-agent’s tongue found its way over his fiancé’s balls first, taking each one into his mouth as he jerked his cock. “Mm-”

“Fucking-” Nigel howled out as he gripped Will’s curls. “That’s good.”

Will grinned against Nigel’s inner thigh and licked up to the tip of his cock, taking it into his mouth. He suckled, pulling down the foreskin as his hand rolled the Romanian’s plump, furry balls. 

Nigel hummed in appreciation, fingers curling hard against Will’s hair, keeping him just _there_. “I swear you get better at this each time.”

A throaty growl of thanks was given as Will took Nigel down further, opening his throat as his tongue cupped around his shaft. He kept holding his beau’s eyes with his own as he splayed a broad palm over his hip and grasped it. Nigel arched into Will’s hands, cock shoved further down his throat, groaning heftily.

“Jesus, Will-”

Will devoured Nigel, just as he'd been, his head bobbing up and down relentlessly. Spit leaked from the corners of his red, swollen lips as he swallowed him down in answer, all but begging for the Romanian’s hot come. 

Nigel wouldn’t last like this, heating pooling and spreading, his fingers gripping hard and then release all at once as he came, searing hot and trying not to buck his hip.

Will swallowed it all, every last drop with a groan before sucking the tip and licking the shaft clean. He crawled up Nigel’s body once the last wave had died down and kissed him slowly, splayed over him like a blanket. “Perfect…”

Arms wrapped around Will, Nigel kissed him, slowly, biting at his lips. “Darling… you are perfect for me.”

“And you for me,” Will whispered, kissing down into Nigel’s mouth again. He rested his head on his chest, inhaling his scent as the sun shone down on them. 

Nigel held Will, both as naked as the day they were born, and the Romanian could give two shits about it. It was peaceful, the dogs splashing, the sun shining warm against them. Nothing could rip this moment from Nigel.

Will laid on his side, hooking a lean leg over Nigel, as well as his arm as he was held. It was better than the quiet of the stream. “So a courthouse ceremony then? Or did you want a fancy wedding?” he asked with a snicker, knowing the answer already. 

“I told you, anything you want,” Nigel explained, once more. “I’d prefer simple.”

Will had remembered but just wanted it to be something they both liked. He nodded with a small smile. “Simple it is.”

“Perfect,” Nigel murmured, kissing the top of Will’s head. “‘Cause I don’t want another crazy wedding. Being with you, Will, is all that matters.”

“I agree, that's what's important,” Will whispered and nuzzled under Nigel’s jaw. His fingers roved softly over tawny skin and through ashy chest hair. “Love you.”

“Love you, too, darling,” Nigel whispered back, contented to have Will like this the rest of the afternoon, lunch forgotten about entirely.

The dogs were all lying on the grass now, letting the sun dry them as Will looked up at Nigel and smiled. “Do you miss the city?”

“Not really,” Nigel said, having enjoyed every quiet moment with Will, watching him constantly, whether the empath was aware or not.

“Good,” Will hummed, glad his fiancé wasn't unhappy in what he considered to be his own slice of paradise. He leaned over and kissed Nigel’s mouth before sitting up to reach for his tepid beer. 

Nigel stretched and grabbed his own, not minding in the slightest. “Quiet is growing on me. Love does that I guess, hm?”

Will turned towards Nigel, one leg propped up, forearm resting on it and nodded. “That's what they say,” he grinned, around his bottle and tipped it back. “The smell of cigarettes have grown on me.”

Nigel laughed, dry and throaty. “Is that right, darling?” He winked at Will and drank the rest of his beer.

“Better than any cologne or aftershave,” Will chuckled and downed the rest of his beer, his eyes on Nigel as he did. 

Nigel considered getting his jeans and smoking right then and there, but the way Will mocked the smell made him think twice about that, so instead, he shifted his jaw. “Sure.”

“Nigel,” Will began, noticing the shift of jaw and of emotion. He reached out to touch his fiancé’s hand, hoping to calm the the storm before it began. “I was just teasing. I don't give a fuck if you smoke. True, I’d rather you not leave me prematurely due to lung cancer but it's not the smell.”

“We’re all going to die someday, gorgeous,” Nigel answered, but didn’t go for the smoke. He didn’t like that look on Will’s face. Not one bit.

“Maybe if you cut back,” Will suggested, knowing that otherwise Nigel might be very cranky if he did the ‘cold turkey’ method. “If you're wanting to.”

“Yeah, we’ll see,” Nigel commented, not set one way or the other. He’d been smoking since he was thirteen, quitting now seemed like a shot in the dark at a longer life.

“Alright,” Will responded, and removed his hand to reach for another beer. He wouldn't push if Nigel decided not to quiet. At the moment there were other pressing issues anyways, as well as pleasantries. 

“I won’t be a nice… well, I’m not nice anyway, but I’ll worse if I quit,” Nigel murmured as he licked his lips, aching for once since it’d been a few hours.

“Didn't call you my beast for nothin’,” Will pointed out with a raised, coy brow before drinking more of his beer. He reached over into Nigel’s jeans, pulling out the pack, as well as the lighter and handed it to him. “It's up to you.”

It was a huge change for Nigel, but keeping Will happy was something he knew he wanted as well. He’d already given up a lot, what was one more thing? “No, darling.” Nigel took the box and the lighter and stood. He walked, bare ass naked, to the lake and threw them as far as he could, plinking into the water.

Will got up and walked over to Nigel. He wrapped his arms around his waist from behind and kissed between his shoulders. “I'm… _pleased_ you made that choice,” he murmured against his fiancé’s skin. “And I'm not worried about you being less than nice.”

“I want everything for us, Will,” Nigel roughly replied, touching Will’s ringed finger over his own tanned skin. “If that means changes, then so be it.”

“I know you do,” Will murmured and then walked around to face Nigel, unhooking his arms. He raised his hands to hold his beau's face, kissing him. “You've changed a lot for me.”

“Love makes me do stupid things, I told you,” Nigel whispered and kissed Will slowly. He didn’t want another Gabi incident. He didn’t want Will to ever resent him.

“I can't recall anything stupid,” Will whispered back over Nigel's lips as he wound an arm around his waist again. He wasn't sure what the future held in many areas, all Will was certain of was that he wanted it to be with the man he was kissing. 

“Shut up,” Nigel teased and kissed Will more soundly, arms around his shoulders as he held him tight against his sun-warmed body.

Will slid his hand down Nigel’s back and slapped his ass, playfully for that as they kissed. He would never tire of this, of what they had. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of you will be pleased, some of you might just hate us.

Hardly in a rush to be married, Will and Nigel waited a few more months. There was nothing else said about Hannibal Lecter, as Jack and Alana went on their own to track him down in their own ways. Will asked not to be told anything, so that’s the way they lived, without the FBI, and Will went back to teaching, while Nigel continued to feed Jack some information about Darko, but even he had dead ends there.

They settled for a simple courthouse wedding. Alana was invited, after all they had been through, her and Will. They needed a witness anyway.

An uneasiness had begun to stir in Will’s belly the past month or so, but he pushed it down and smoothed his navy blue suit. This was good, he loved Nigel, he told himself. “Ready?” he asked his fiancé with a small smile. 

“Yeah, gorgeous, been ready,” Nigel said, patting down his silver suit. He’d given up the cigarettes completely, cold turkey, with only few outbursts, but he never took it out on Will. 

“Good,” Will nodded and took Nigel’s hand, walking into the room where the officiator and Alana were waiting. He took a deep breath and readied himself. Cold feet or the jitters, likely, he mused. 

Nigel lead them to the front where the Mayor looked at them and had their license ready to be signed when he was done with the ceremony. He began, the usual, and when he got to the part about anyone objecting, a stop clearing of a throat was heard toward the back. Nigel turned his head first, sneering at the sound. Amber eyes cut to a man slightly older than himself, polished and refined, more so than Nigel would ever be.

“Get the fuck out,” Nigel growled as the man walked, patiently, up to them, he hands folded in front of him.

“Hannibal, you should go,” Alana said, trying to inject, far more worried than either Nigel or Will, it seemed.

“Shall I leave, Will?” Hannibal asked, his eyes only on the empath, ignoring Nigel completely. “Or are you willingly going to marry this…” Hannibal sighed, finally giving Nigel a once over, “Ingrate.”

Will’s heart began to beat harder at the sight of Hannibal and he knew now why he'd been feeling that uneasiness. The ex-agent looked between the two men and then to Alana. “Leave, Alana, _now_ ,” he commanded, not wanting her to be hurt, though he didn't expect her to listen. He turned his attention back to Hannibal and swallowed. “He's not an ingrate Hannibal, he's just not pretentious like you are.” 

Hannibal hummed and Nigel’s hands balled into tight fists, the beast released within, the one he’d been holding back. “You’re a fucking ass,” he said as Alana heeded Will’s advice and she and the mayor slipped out.

“What a vocabulary you have,” Hannibal sighed, his honeyed gaze pleading with Will, silently, no words needed.

Nigel let go of Will’s hand and stepped down to get in Hannibal’s face. “Listen, Lecter, no one invited you. You might have had your pretty boy claws in him once, but Will is _mine_.”

“I beg to differ-” Hannibal started to say but Nigel decked him, with a right hook, sending Hannibal reeling back, holding his face where his lip split. Hell, Nigel hope he broke his jaw, at the very least.

“Nigel,” Will began, his blood thrumming in his veins like liquid fire, everything starting to blur mentally. Even Nigel and Hannibal for an instant, which… brought clarity. Identically different. He walked over to get in between the two. “You don't know what he's capable of…”

“ _You_ don’t fucking know what _I’m_ capable of, _Darling_ ,” Nigel roared, seething in his anger as Hannibal was calm in his own. The doctor reached out and touched Will’s shoulder, knowingly, and that set the bear off inside Nigel even more. “Don’t fucking touch him. You weren’t there to pick up his fucking god damn pieces that you fucking shattered. You don’t have the fucking right!”

“Are you quite finished?” Hannibal asked when it seemed the Romanian had to take a breath, or at least stop long enough to cool down.

“No! I’m not fucking finished-” 

“Will, are you honestly going to marry him?” Hannibal asked, interjecting Nigel once more, the elegant man’s face starting to swell, and man did Nigel want to do it to the other side too. “Every other word is obscene.”

“We’re happy,” Will insisted, though he knew he'd been conflicted for a while now. His empathy was tugging him in two directions and rage of his own started to boil, his eyes growing dark in a way he'd never let Nigel see before now. “Nigel didn't gut me and leave me bleeding out on the kitchen floor, Hannibal. He didn't murder Abigail and,” he smirked, darkly, “he's not _you_!”

Hannibal quirked a barely-there brow, smiling just so, delighted it seemed. Nigel wanted to punch the smug look right off his face, but Will’s words were harrowing and deep-rooted. There was something there, and even a thug like Nigel could see the light behind the tree start to fade away.

“ _Are_ you happy, darling?” 

Will turned to Nigel at that and rubbed his jaw, on one hand he was but only on the surface really. “I… thought so. I wasn't clear on that until _he_ walked in.”

“You’d…” Nigel narrowed his eyes on Will, betrayal setting in behind his eyes, wondering if he should be angry or sad, or both. He’d been through this was Gabi, he couldn’t hold on to the a fraying rope. “You’re not happy then. You’re just… glad I wasn’t Hannibal Lecter, because you were angry.”

“Precisely,” Hannibal agreed, smiling at Will. “He wanted what was exactly _not_ me.” He level Nigel with a look, knowingly. “You should go, Mister Ursu.”

“I wasn't unhappy,” Will offered to Nigel, though he knew it wasn't enough. He knew what needed to happen. What--who--he was destined for. “But I can't marry you, Nigel. You should… you should go,” he said and took off the ring, setting it on the podium for the Romanian to take if he wanted to. 

“You’re going to leave with him? Just run away into the night? The way you wanted to but never did, Will?” Nigel asked, sadness dripping from his voice, a tight feeling his throat, making it hard to even breathe. He told himself he wouldn’t get attached, and he did--he did it again. He couldn’t go on, not like this. “I gave you everything, Will. Was I really not enough?” Gabi was right. Nigel got down on his knees. “Do me a favor, gorgeous. Kill me before you go, hm?”

Hannibal exchanged a look with Nigel and then Will. He looked around the room, walking around Nigel, and picked something up off the desk. “Suicide in any manner is weak, it is not the way, Nigel.”

The Romanian turned his head to look up at Hannibal, about to spat back at him when he was whacked across the face, vision blurring, mind aching, and then nothing.

***

When Nigel came to once more, his eye was swollen, and the familiar beep of machines whirled around him. He could remember Gabi, and waking up here before, but this all felt different, something was _off._ The gruff man blinked his eyes open, half the world a haze as his amber gazed around the room, locking eyes on a young man standing near the door.

“Who the fuck are you?”

The young candy striper walked over with a charming smile, a complimentary apple juice in hand. “I'm Buddy Wittenborn,” he said, his tone upbeat as he extended his hand. “I'll be helping out with your care here, if that's okay with you Mister Ursu?”

“Buddy, huh?” Nigel took the kid’s hand and pulled him close, like he might eat him. “Yeah, that’s fine, gorgeous.”


End file.
